Turkey, duck, and prime rib seem to get the most attention during the holidays, but some families skip the meat altogether. While some do it for religious or dietary reasons, many Italian Americans celebrate the Feast of the Seven Fishes, which prominently features seven seafood dishes on Christmas Eve.

With its roots in Roman Catholic tradition, which called for abstaining from meat and dairy on several holidays, this feast is still prevalent in many households. Felipe Riccio, executive chef of March, Goodnight Hospitality’s Michelin-starred restaurant, says that with his family roots in Mexico, Spain, and Italy, it was common for him to eat seafood, or more specifically bacalao a la Vizcaina (a salt cod dish) during Christmas time. “I loved it growing up,” he says. “I think that was a little foreshadowing [of] becoming a chef.”

This year, Riccio brings that same coastal inspiration to Houston tables with a make-ahead seafood dish that’s simple, elegant, and steeped in tradition. As a part of Houstonia’s 12 Days of Thanksgiving, we’ve tapped Riccio and the team at the Marigold Club, Goodnight’s French-American restaurant in Montrose, to give a crowd-pleasing seafood recipe that’s simple and versatile. The Marigold Club’s mussel escabeche toast, comprised of jamón, sesame, and tarragon, is an easy-to-replicate dish.
 
The recipe starts with the purchase: Riccio warns never to skimp on quality and freshness and advises visiting Central Market to buy the ingredients. It’s also essential to undercook the seafood rather than overcook it. “The acid will take it the farthest,” Riccio says. “Be gentle with it,” but get creative. Riccio adds that the recipe is forgiving, so not everything has to be exact—meaning it’s OK to substitute octopus, clams, or shrimp (or whatever you like) for the mussels. 

Save time on the day you plan to serve by preparing it ahead of time. This mussel escabeche can be cooked up to two days in advance. “That’s the beauty of the dish: Leave it in the fridge to marinate, and then it only gets better,” he says. Though typically served on toast at the restaurant, Riccio says this dish is great whether hot or cold, served in a bowl with crackers, or over steamy butter potatoes. The choice is yours.

Ready to try it yourself? Here’s how Riccio builds layers of flavor in this bright, briny show-stopper.

Ingredients

For the escabeche base:
1 1/3 cups white wine vinegar
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp salt
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 1/2 tsp green cardamom pods
1 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/4 cup sliced shallots
2 tsp sliced garlic
1 tbsp sliced ginger
1 tsp smoked paprika
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
About 2 1/2 lbs of mussels in shell (1 bag)

For the aioli:
3/4 cup escabeche base (above)
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
2 large egg yolks
1 tbsp whole grain mustard
2 tsp garlic, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups grape seed oil

For the candied garlic:
1/2 cup sliced garlic
3 1/2 tsp simple syrup (1 part hot water to 1 part sugar)

For the furikake topping:
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (1/2 ground, 1/2 whole)
1 tsp dried tarragon
1 tsp lime zest
1/3 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp fried candied garlic (from recipe above), broken up in a mortar and pestle or blender

For building the toast:
Sourdough bread
Sliced jamon
Fresh tarragon leaves

Instructions:
1. Heat the vinegar and water, and dissolve the sugar and salt until completely dissolved.
2. Combine black peppercorns, green cardamom pods, chili flakes, coriander
seeds, shallots, garlic, and ginger into a sachet. Add to the pot with vinegar, and
bring to a boil. Stir in smoked paprika and olive oil. Remove from heat and cool
completely, then remove the sachet.
3. Meanwhile, clean mussels and steam for six minutes in a pan or until fully opened.
4. Take mussels out of the shell and toss them in 1 cup of escabeche liquid.
5. Make the aioli by combining 3/4 cup of escabeche base, smoked paprika, egg
yolks, whole grain mustard, garlic, and salt in a blender. Drizzle in oil until
creamy.
6. Make the candied garlic by slicing garlic thinly with a mandolin. Place in a pot
with cold water and bring to a boil. Strain and cover again with cold water, then
bring to a boil again. Repeat this process three times. Strain and cover with warm
simple syrup. Steep for 5 minutes. Then, strain and rinse the garlic so it’s not too
sweet. Fry at 350°F until golden brown.
7. Make the furikake by combining all ingredients.

Build the toast:
1. Toast sliced sourdough in a cast-iron pan with olive oil
2. Place the escabeche aioli onto the toasted sourdough.
3. Top with pickled mussels and the fresh sliced jamón.
4. Finish with a sprinkle of the sesame seed furikake and fresh tarragon leaves.
5. Repeat for additional toasts.