Fish & Shellfish : The Definitive Cook's Companion

Rating:
Summary: Indispensable resource for anyone who cooks seafood!
Review: This is the most comprehensive guide to seafood you will ever find. James Peterson has compiled great recipes and an amazing amount of information in this one volume. He very systematically describes every edible variety of seafood you're likely to find. He tells you what to look for when you are shopping, how to handle it and gives you a variety of options on how to cook it. I was particularly impressed with the "how to" photographs that demonstrate everything from how to fillet a variety of fish to how to shuck oysters and peel shrimp. The novice home cook will certainly benefit from this wealth of practical advice, and the more experienced chef will find all sorts of inspiring ideas for preparing favorite seafood. Peterson artfully combines recipes and serving suggestions from a variety of culinary traditions. He's equally adept at contemporary Thai-inspired soups and traditional French preparations. He also gives you the information you need to branch out and experiment on your own. For example, there are great charts suggesting pairings of shrimp and possible soup ingredients and a thorough offering of traditional sauces to mix and match with your own seafood preparations. This is truly an amazing resource that anyone who loves seafood should have in their kitchen.

Rating:
Summary: Indispensable resource for anyone who cooks seafood!
Review: This is the most comprehensive guide to seafood you will ever find. James Peterson has compiled great recipes and an amazing amount of information in this one volume. He very systematically describes every edible variety of seafood you're likely to find. He tells you what to look for when you are shopping, how to handle it and gives you a variety of options on how to cook it. I was particularly impressed with the "how to" photographs that demonstrate everything from how to fillet a variety of fish to how to shuck oysters and peel shrimp. The novice home cook will certainly benefit from this wealth of practical advice, and the more experienced chef will find all sorts of inspiring ideas for preparing favorite seafood. Peterson artfully combines recipes and serving suggestions from a variety of culinary traditions. He's equally adept at contemporary Thai-inspired soups and traditional French preparations. He also gives you the information you need to branch out and experiment on your own. For example, there are great charts suggesting pairings of shrimp and possible soup ingredients and a thorough offering of traditional sauces to mix and match with your own seafood preparations. This is truly an amazing resource that anyone who loves seafood should have in their kitchen.

Rating:
Summary: Continually pleasing, instructful, and AMAZING.
Review: This wonderful cookbook has yet to disappoint. It tells you what to look for when purchasing, what fish can be substituted in recipes; it has clear descriptions of various cooking methods, and pulls in a wide variety of recipes from all around the world. You'll be pleased with its detail on such basics as steaming lobsters and mussels, as well as some stunning off-the-beaten path recipes like a Brazilian shrimp stew. We have made several of the dishes in this book, and have found them simple enough for a family Sunday dinner or elegant enough for a Saturday dinner party. Many recipes are also quick enough for a weeknight. A favorite in our household, and worth giving to your friends.

Rating:
Summary: Continually pleasing, instructful, and AMAZING.
Review: This wonderful cookbook has yet to disappoint. It tells you what to look for when purchasing, what fish can be substituted in recipes; it has clear descriptions of various cooking methods, and pulls in a wide variety of recipes from all around the world. You'll be pleased with its detail on such basics as steaming lobsters and mussels, as well as some stunning off-the-beaten path recipes like a Brazilian shrimp stew. We have made several of the dishes in this book, and have found them simple enough for a family Sunday dinner or elegant enough for a Saturday dinner party. Many recipes are also quick enough for a weeknight. A favorite in our household, and worth giving to your friends.