GRANPA LOVES TO COOK BECAUSE CHRISTMAS IS A GREAT TIME TO EAT

                                 One of my favourite dishes- Christmas Seafood Appetizer.
Christmas has different traditions for different people. So normally I do all the shopping but Barb loves Christmas so she went out Thursday to buy fresh fruit and veggies for the next few days. The clementines this time of year are so delicious and healthy. They balance all the chocolate and cookies and other goodies that are around. Barb knows my traditions so she bought me a flat of figs-she doesn't eat figs, some prickly pears and a pomegranates which she does eat. Last week she bought some small panetones for me along with the nougat treat called Torrone. The Torrone now come in so many flavours like lemon, chocolate. She found one with cranberries which she loves. I let her eat that one. I don't love cranberries. Christmas Eve seafood dinner will be just the two of us so I have added lobster to the meal.

The girls have their in-law obligations which is fair. We are so lucky to have them and the grandchildren Christmas day. So I will cook the Italian Christmas Eve dinner and Barb does the traditional Canadian Christmas dinner. But as everyone knows I will have to supervise.

A CHRISTMAS EVE SEAFOOD APPETIZER

For a complete Italian Christmas Eve Seafood dinner, it is fun to have  seafood or fish for every course except dessert. A simple shrimp ring with cocktail sauce could suffice if the cook is in a hurry. Another easy dish to have is the seafood salad.

INGREDIENTS

Fresh or frozen shrimp. Precooked is the easiest

Fresh or frozen calamari. Precooked is the easiest.

Or simply buy a frozen bag of seafood medley mix as featured in the photo.

Celery- one stalk.

Two garlic buds or more if wanted.

Fresh lemon or two.

Olive Oil- one or two tablespoons.

Salt, pepper to taste.


DIRECTIONS

Defrost and drain frozen seafood or cook the fresh seafood.

Chop into bite size pieces.

Chop the celery stalk into small pieces.

Dice the garlic into small pieces.

Put the ingredients into a bowl.

Add the olive oil and mix the ingredients.

Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the fresh juice onto the mixture. A second lemon does add more flavour to it. Mix well.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Put in the fridge for at least two hours before serving. This allows the dish to marinate.

It can be made a day ahead if needed and kept in the fridge until ready to serve.

There are several brands of frozen ready seafood appetizers that can be added to the meal. Other non-seafood appetizers can be offered if wanted for Christmas Eve too. It depends on the crowd you are serving and what is preferred.

If trying to serve 7 seafood dishes, this could be number 1! Numero Uno!

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