The Soup Diva

The Feast of the Seven Fishes is the traditional Christmas Eve meal in Italy, where Roman Catholics abstain from meat the night before major feast days (fish not being considered a meat). We have no Italian lineage, but we do enjoy us some seafood; so I decided to create a soup with 7 fishes (I am The Soup Diva after all). It was molto delizioso!

• 3-4 cups various cooked/canned fish and shellfish, cut into bite-sized pieces (I used lobster, crab, shrimp, scallops, and whitefish)
• 4 cups water
• 4 tbsp chicken base
• ½ cup diced sweet onion
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 4 cups diced or shredded potatoes*
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels*
• 2 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
• 1 tsp oregano
• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 8 oz soft herbed cheese (such as Boursin) or whipped cream cheese
• 2 cups milk
• Splash of Worcestershire sauce
• Splash of fish sauce (optional)
• 1 tbsp pesto (optional)
• 1/4 cup white wine, sherry, or brandy (optional)
• salt and black pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese to garnish

Sauté onion, celery, and garlic in butter. Reduce heat to medium; stir in potatoes, chicken base, tomato paste, and seasoning. Add water, cover, and let simmer until vegetables are soft. Add remaining ingredients and heat on medium-low until corn is warm but not overdone. Top with Parmesan cheese if desired. [For Instant Pot, place all ingredients except cream cheese in pot and Pressure Cook on low for 10 minutes; slow release 5 minutes then stir in cream cheese.]

*(I have also made this with 2 cans of hominy in place of the potatoes and corn, since it offers the corn flavor with a potato-like texture; add this with the seafood rather than with the liquids, as the hominy is already cooked.)

One the night before Christmas, my soup pot gave to me:
7 delicious fishes, 6 different veggies, 5 seasonings, 4 types of dairy, 3 Italian herbs, 2 big bowls, and 1 very happy tummy!