3 Tasty and Easy Fish/Seafood Recipes for the Holidays

Last updated on June 4th, 2022

christmas holiday fish & seafood dish

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The Holiday Season is here and, along with the good cheer that comes with it, there’s also plenty of good food (and very likely, also drinks!) too to be had.

While turkey, ham, roast beef, and other similar table fare are at the heart of the traditional English/American Holiday feast, many other cultures turn to the sea or their fresh waters for Christmas dinner ideas.

But many Americans are now also adding seafood to their Holiday dinner menu for what some might call a non-traditional Christmas dinner. Whether for health reasons or just to shake up things a little, many people will be serving fish or something else from our waters this Holiday Season.

For those of you who would like to also shake up your holiday menu this year, we’ve put together 3 tasty and easy-to-make Christmas Holiday fish/seafood recipes for you to try out.

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

 

Pan-Seared Cod and Bacon Salad with Blueberries and a Lemon Vinaigrette

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

  • 4 (6 oz. each) cod fillets, boneless and skinless (can also use haddock or other white fish)
  • 8-12 slices of bacon
  • 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
  • 8 cups of baby spinach
  • 2 cups fresh blueberries
  • 1 & 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
  • Olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Black pepper

Lemon Vinaigrette

  • 1 & 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
  • Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

  1. Fry bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until nice and crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain excess oil.
  2. Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the same skillet with the bacon drippings. Heat over medium-high.
  3. Meanwhile, rinse the cod fillets and pat dry with a paper towel.
  4. Generously season both sides with salt and black pepper.
  5. Add cod fillets to the pan when hot and cook for 4-5 minutes.
  6. Flip and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes or until fish easily flakes with a fork.
  7. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  8. Transfer the lettuce to a large salad bowl with spinach, blueberries, and red onion. Toss.
  9. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, and zest in a small bowl until thoroughly mixed to make the vinaigrette.
  10. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Whisk again.
  11. Drizzle vinaigrette over the salad.
  12. Serve salad on each Plate.
  13. Top each serving with a cod fillet and 2-3 slices of bacon. Feel free to crumble bacon.
  14. Add more vinaigrette if desired and serve.

Avocado Shrimp Ceviche

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ lb of shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 cup seeded and diced cucumber
  • 1 jalapeno, thinly chopped (remove seeds so as to not be too spicy)
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • ½ cup fresh lime juice
  • ¼ cup diced tomato, seeded
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup chopped red onion
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
  • Kosher salt
  • Black pepper
  • Tortilla chips, for serving

Directions:

  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil.
  2. Salt the water once boiling.
  3. Add the shrimp to the boiling water and cook for about 2 minutes or until they just start to turn pink in color.
  4. Remove from the water and immediately cold shock under cold water or in a prepared ice bath.
  5. Dry shrimp and transfer to a stainless steel or another nonreactive bowl along with the cucumber, jalapeno, lime juice, and red onion.
  6. Stir to ensure everything is coated with lime juice and refrigerate for at least one hour.
  7. Remove from the refrigerator and stir in the olive oil, avocado, and diced tomato.
  8. Season with salt and black pepper. Stir.
  9. Refrigerate for an additional 30-40 minutes.
  10. Garnish with cilantro and serve with tortilla chips.

Garlic Butter Soy Salmon Foil Packets with Green Beans

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

  • 4 (6 oz. each) salmon fillets, boneless and skinless (wild-caught preferred)
  • 12 oz. green beans
  • 1 & 1/2 stick of butter
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoon soy sauce
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Meanwhile, add butter to a small pan and melt over medium-high heat.
  3. Toss in the garlic once melted.
  4. Wait for the butter to foam.
  5. Reduce heat to low and let brown. Remove from the heat once golden color.
  6. Season fillets on both sides with salt and black pepper.
  7. Place each salmon fillet in the center of a sheet of foil and lightly brush with soy sauce.
  8. Drizzle each fillet with garlic butter and evenly distribute the green beans.
  9. Season green beans to taste with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
  10. Seal the foil packets, place them on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes. Fish is done when it easily flakes with a fork.

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About Dorado

John Pardal, aka Dorado, is the editor as well as an author for Reel Adventure Fishing. He has fished extensively up and down the U.S. Atlantic coast, throughout much of Florida and a bit of the Caribbean. John loves writing about all aspects of sportfishing and is passionate about conservation and promoting sustainable fishing.