Cappon magro is a Ligurian dish, traditionally served on Christmas eve when according to Catholic tradition, families would abstain from eating meat. Fish and seafood were served instead. This elaborate seafood platter hardly counts as suffering in the name of piety. There are various theories as to why the name of the dish is "fasting day capon (rooster)". One of which is that cappone (tub gurnard- a type of fish) was often used. The dish traditionally starts with a layer of hard tack or ship's biscuits (galletta del marinaio) which are softened with salted water and vinegar. As I have no clue where to find hard tack and suspect it not worth the time doing so, I just serve it with bruschetta. Poached fish such as gurnard, sea bass and the white fish and shellfish such as lobster, prawns, langoustines, oysters, clams and mussels are layered together. Just use whatever fresh, seasonal seafood you can find. Added to this are poached vegetables such as black salsify, celery, cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, beetroot, artichokes and beans. The whole mixture is covered with a tangy earthy sauce made from eggs, breadcrumbs, vinegar, parsley, garlic, capers, olives and anchovies.