• Eat Your Books

  See Susie's review of this cookbook in her 2008 round-up at The Boston Globe

  Also see Susie's review of this cookbook in her summer 2008 round-up at NPR Kitchen Window

• Laura on February 13, 2015

  I've made quite a few recipes from this book and none have disappointed. In fact, they've resulted in wonderful dishes. The techniques are simple and foolproof. This book has helped me to become far more confident when cooking fish. Can't recommend it highly enough.

• DKennedy on July 20, 2012

  This was a COTM twice. Most recently in July 2012

• smtucker on July 18, 2010

  Broiled Fish with HerbsFish FingersTartar Sauce ***Butter Sauce [especially with Flounder]

• crjoburke on December 26, 2009

  Great basic information and plenty of sophisticated, approachable recipes. A must have book for those who enjoy cooking fish.

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Halibut poached in milk, with bok choy and coconut green curry sauce

  • Jane on July 03, 2012

    p.89 This definitely was comfort food as described though healthy unlike a big bowl of pasta. The halibut (I used a steak rather than fillet) is poached in a milk court bouillon so is moist. Served with simply cooked bok choy (blanched then sauteed in butter and salt) the dish is really made special by the sauce (p.431). Lemongrass, ginger, kaffir lime leaves, coconut and green curry paste provide lovely Thai flavors and kick. If you made the sauce a day or two ahead as recommended this would be an incredibly fast dinner.

  • Delys77 on July 03, 2012

    Pg 89 I really love the sauce in this dish, please see comment in the notes for that recipe. The milk poaching yields a nice piece of fish that is easily cooked and very moist, but honetly I would pan roast to get more flavour on the fish. The sauce makes the fish flavourful even if it is poached, but why not add a flavourful sauce to a flavourful piece of fish.

  • wcassity on May 14, 2018

    Very tasty. Made with red curry and cabbage.

  • TrishaCP on June 01, 2024

    Absolutely delicious sauce and probably the best halibut that I have personally ever cooked!

• Tuna preserved in oil

  • Jane on July 18, 2012

    The tuna is slow poached in olive oil then stored in the fridge (it keeps for weeks apparently). I used it in the Tuna salad with pickled vegetables on p.335. I was underwhelmed by the result. To be honest it didn't taste any better than a good quality can of tuna in olive oil. And probably has less flavor. Given the cost of fresh tuna and of the olive oil it is poached and stored in, I wouldn't say this is worth it. I think I will still try the adjoining salmon recipe though - that uses bay leaves which I think would add more flavor. One point - remove the tuna from the fridge about an hour before you need it (depending on the temperature in your kitchen) as the oil is solid.

• Steamed halibut with creamy corn and red pepper coulis

  • Delys77 on May 23, 2013

    Delicious!

• Steamed salmon packets with peanut and red curry sauce

  • Delys77 on August 21, 2012

    Pg 114 I think I'm just not a big fan of steamed fish. The sauce is nice but it is a bit watered down by the relatively wet cooking method. Perhaps as a dipping sauce for grilled fish. You could also up the curry ad fish sauce a little to make it slightly more pungent. The wrapping in cabbage leaves was interesting but didn't do much for me otherwise.

  • hillsboroks on October 23, 2018

    We loved the flavors of this sauce with the salmon. I doubled the amount of sauce in the cabbage wraps and also served extra on the side. This was quick, easy and something I would serve to company.

• Broiled fish fillets with butter and herbs

  • Delys77 on July 17, 2012

    Pg 122 I loved this technique. The result was a deliciously browned piece of fish on the bottom with a tasty crust of breadcrumbs and herbs. It took no time at all to put together and is quite possibly one of the easiest yet the best fish preparations I have ever done.

  • Laura on November 30, 2018

    Pg. 122. I've made this recipe twice now -- once with rainbow trout and last night with petrale sole. Both times I made the variation on pg. 123 that uses cilantro, basil and grated lime zest rather than parsley, dill and chives. Both times the fish has turned out really well. This has become one of my favorite methods for cooking thin fish fillets -- easy to prep and only takes 3 minutes under the broiler! Next time, I might eliminate the sugar and reduce the kosher salt to see how that turns out.

• Broiled fish fillets with herb mix

  • hillsboroks on July 15, 2017

    The cooking technique in this recipe is perfect and the one I will use from here on out when broiling fish. We made the version with fresh basil, cilantro and red curry paste. I subbed in panko crumbs for the fresh breadcrumbs and they gave the filets a wonderful bit of crunch. I was lucky enough to have fresh sea trout and ocean perch filets that my husband caught off the Tillamook jetty the day before so the fish was extremely fresh. We both fell in love with the flavors of this recipe on the fish and can hardly wait to try it again. All in all it was a relatively easy recipe for a tremendous result.

• Broiled fish fillets with parsley pesto

  • jenmacgregor18 on October 20, 2022

    Another winner from this book. I have to say that this is one of the most reliable cookbooks that I have. The broiled recipes in particular are perfect for a weeknight. I did sub basil pesto & panko for fresh breadcrumbs. Very quick, easy & good.

• Broiled fish fillets with compound butter

  • Jane on July 16, 2012

    I have made this recipe with both tilapia and salmon, both times with Sun-dried tomato compound butter on p.413. The butter really is a great flavor enhancer - good combination of sun-dried tomatoes, basil and garlic. The tilapia I made in a Le Creuset gratin dish (heated as instructed) and I put butter underneath and it worked really well. I followed the recipe instructions for the salmon, heating a cast iron griddle for 15 minutes under a hot grill then placing the oiled skin side down. I got the satisfying sizzle he talked about but I wasn't satisfied by the way the skin had seared to the griddle when I came to take the fish off. The salmon flesh just slid off the skin and I could not remove the skin. So that lovely crispy skin I was expecting was lost. I will try it again, maybe oiling the griddle as well as the skin.

  • jenmacgregor18 on August 17, 2021

    Very simple & quick. I used a skillet and trout filets. No problems with any sticking. I was going to make the watercress butter, but my watercress was flavorless. So I used alla diavola butter from Six Seasons. This made beautiful, perfectly cooked fish. I can see this being fantastic with different compound butters... the basil butter from this book also looks great. I can't wait to try it again.

• Broiled bluefish Dijonnaise

  • Breadcrumbs on August 01, 2012

    p. 126 Holy Mackerel, did we love this dish!! Naw, I didn’t just use mackerel so I could make this joke!! I’m addicted to this method of broiling fish and I picked up two filets on the way home tonight so I could make this dish. Quick and easy prep made for the perfect weeknight meal. I used Hellman’s mayo and a locally produced grainy faux Dijon to which I added a minced clove of garlic. Lovely. Our 1 1/4 in. thick fish cooked perfectly in just under 5 mins. I served this over steamed Italian brown rice (yes, again but Zoji cooks it to perfection while I’m at work so I can’t resist). Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/600169#7498272

  • Rinshin on July 31, 2016

    We eat fish at least 3 times a week and normally have to balance the tastes that I like with my husband's. I like strong tastes, all kinds of vinegar, pickles, and spicy foods. My husband dislikes vinegar, spicy foods, or anything with strong tastes. Having said that, my husband really, really liked this. He said if more Americans were exposed to this style of fish, more would eat fish. I thought this recipe was very simple to make for busy weeknights and perfectly tasty. It is a rich tasting recipe needing only green salad to balance out the richness. I used sole for this but I would think many fish would work with this recipe. I did mince some garlic with the sauce and added 1/2 tsp of soy sauce. I plan to slice some green onions on top before broiling next time.

  • jenmacgregor18 on November 19, 2019

    I'm adding my voice to the chorus. Tons of flavor for such a quick and simple preparation. I used salmon. And seems like it would work with many types of fish. It was wonderful.

  • TrishaCP on November 24, 2019

    We absolutely loved this fish preparation too. (In my case, with salmon.)

  • Rinshin on December 04, 2019

    The last two times I made this, Atlantic salmon was used. Buttery and just as good as when I used sole. For the first time using salmon, fish was about 6 in from the broiler and cooked faster and more browned than I like, but the taste did not suffer at all. Photo is added with closer to the broiler element. Next time with salmon, I lowered the grate position to slow down the cooking and it was perfect. Unfortunately no photo since I was serving a houseguest. Again, a tsp of soy sauce added. We all love this recipe for taste and simplicity.

  • sosayi on October 15, 2021

    This was excellent! Not only quick and easy, but delicious, tender and very flavorful. Great weeknight option. Like others, I made with salmon. Will repeat.

  • Lepa on June 25, 2025

    I hadn't made this for a while and had forgotten how easy and utterly delicious this is. My thick salmon steaks required five minutes of broiling.

• Broiled halibut steaks with basil butter

  • Delys77 on July 23, 2012

    Pg 129 I didn't read the recipe correctly and went with a salmon filet instead of he steak. While the butter was lovely I had to fiddle with the timing and I burnt the breadcrumbs a bit. Overall result was still good but just goes to show how important it is to read the recipe through. Spencer didn't actually mind the salmon which was surprising because he doesn't always like it.

  • Breadcrumbs on July 28, 2012

    p. 129 - The best Halibut I’ve prepared at home! I’m so excited to have discovered this cooking method and, this outstanding recipe. I made the basil butter ahead so I just needed to slice of what I needed that evening. I keep a bag of toasted breadcrumbs in the freezer so that part was easy as well. Given previous comments about the breadcrumbs burning, I did take a little extra time to ensure I’d pressed them into the butte to protect them. While I heated the griddle pan directly beneath the broiler, I cooked the fish on the second shelf - the fish sat approx. 4 in. beneath the broiler and cooked beautifully. As the author’s suggest, I loved hearing the immediate sizzle as the fish hit the pan and the bottom crust this technique produces was so impressive. I’d be happy to serve this as a company dish since the fish looks beautiful and is cooked to perfection. The cooking duration was perfect for my fish. photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/600169#7489822

  • alex9179 on May 26, 2016

    The broiling technique is genius! Used salmon filets on an Emile Henry grill stone in the oven. Easy and great for company.

  • jenmacgregor18 on January 20, 2020

    I also used salmon for this. I agree - this is easy and very good. good use of basil if you have some to use up.

• Citrus broiled shrimp

  • Breadcrumbs on August 04, 2012

    p. 131 What can I say, we’re on a roll w these broiling recipes. I can’t imagine anything simpler and that would produce such consistently wonderful results. I found some lovely jumbo shrimp (9/12 count I believe) These giant shrimp aren’t nearly as fussy as small ones. I tossed my shrimp in a ziplock in the morning along w all but 1/4 cup of the marinade which I reserved for serving. A note on the marinade. Instead of the suggested herbs, I opted to use chopped fennel fronds and some toasted fennel seeds. I especially love the fennel/orange flavour combination. As the shrimp sizzled away under the broiler I dumped my reserved marinade into a pan along w a couple of tbsp of butter. I plated the shrimp over steamed Italian brown rice and drizzled the citrus butter sauce atop. We absolutely loved this dish. The shells were no trouble at all and everyone agreed they were finger-licking good as well! photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/600169#7496044

  • alex9179 on May 26, 2016

    Fantastic marinade and technique. Remember to heed BC's suggestion to reserve some for serving!

  • jenmacgregor18 on November 05, 2022

    Simple and excellent. I was surprised how well the citrus flavor came through. My only change, I used 1 tsp soy sauce and 1 tsp fish sauce in the marinade. I'll have to try BC's suggestion to put some marinade aside to add to butter for serving. Note- I chose the Hi broil selection on my oven, but the shrimp was slightly overdone in the cooking time. I will try Low next time.

• Jerk tuna with mango sauce

  • TrishaCP on March 05, 2022

    This was really easy to pull together and had great flavor from the mango and jerk seasoning. I used a high speed blender rather than food processor to make the sauce- so I didn’t need to grate the ginger- I just cut it into small pieces. I served this with plain rice, but it would be great with coconut rice.

• Grilled tuna tacos

  • Delys77 on October 04, 2013

    Pg 136 Overall these were ok but nothing very impressive. The best thing about them was the guacamole and cabbage garnish, the fish itself was only so so. I would probably go with an acidic marinade instead of the rub

• Grilled dorade with hoisin glaze

  • Breadcrumbs on June 12, 2012

    p. 142 We love grilled trout so I was excited to find this recipe where the author’s suggest trout as an acceptable substitute for the Dorade. (char and salmon are suggested as well fyi). The Hoisin Glaze recipe appears on p. 439 of the book and I’ve reviewed that here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/600179#7398163 This is the first fish dish I’ve prepared from this book. The authors note that this dish is 'a very fast weeknight supper' They’re right. What they didn’t say is how delicious it would be. And it was indeed delicious. The instructions have you brush only the skin side of the fish with the glaze however we’re not big fans of the skin so we coated both sides. Any idea why this may have been suggested? Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/600169#7398175

  • Delys77 on July 08, 2024

    You have to do a good seasoning on the fish and sauce as the flavours are on the sweet side. That said, very easy and flavourful. I also basted during the cook.

• Rémoulade salmon on the grill

  • Rita on February 07, 2012

    Loved this one, and so easy. Great flavor.

  • Breadcrumbs on June 24, 2012

    p. 161 When I was flipping through this book, the Spicy Remoulade (recipe p. 417) was one of the first to catch my eye as one of our favourite restaurant dishes came with a spicy remoulade that we’ve yet been able to replicate. When I saw this salmon recipe I knew the time had come to give both recipes a test drive.Without the dill, this would be the remoulade we’ve been searching for. It was excellent and I think it was the Harissa sauce that took it from good to great. The recipe and cooking technique were both excellent. We’ll definitely make both recipes again.

  • TrishaCP on July 06, 2013

    The dried chiles and fennel seeds are only if you want to make homemade Harissa. And can sub parsley for chervil.

• Tandoori salmon on the grill

  • Laura on June 12, 2011

    Page 162. I wasn't able to find the Tandoori paste that the book recommends, so I used their other recommendation, Patak's Spicy Ginger and Garlic Marinade. I had very high hopes for this dish, but we didn't really like it. That may have been entirely due to the marinade, the flavor of which we found kind of strange -- so much so that we tossed the remaining marinade. We also used a gas grill and were unable to adjust the height of the grate, so it may have been too high, despite the temperature being set on High. Our salmon came out a little too rare for our tastes, and we like it rare. I feel certain that with the right marinade and correct cooking time, this would be excellent.

  • L.Nightshade on August 01, 2012

    I threw together my own tandoori paste after looking at several recipes. Not sure how authentic it was, but it certainly worked. The dried spices I used included coriander, turmeric, chile powder, Indian cayenne, cumin, paprika, and chaat masala. I mixed these in a mortar with fresh garlic, ginger, and tamarind. Then added the yogurt and butter called for in the recipe. The salmon relaxed in the fridge for a few hours before being grilled. I loved these flavors on the salmon! I hesitated slightly, as I thought the spices might be better with chicken, and a bit too overpowering for fish. But my worries were groundless. Just delicious. I served the salmon with the carrot raita from our Madhur Jaffrey COTM, and a semi-ad libbed slaw of grated kohlrabi, scallions, chile peppers, and cilantro, dressed with lemon, mustard seeds, and cumin seeds, and topped with ground peanuts.

  • Breadcrumbs on August 11, 2012

    p. 162 With such rave reviews I simply couldn’t resist this recipe and I’m delighted to report that it was a big hit. My slathered trout marinated for about 2 hours prior to being wiped down and placed on the grill. I couldn’t help feeling a little wasteful with all that tandoori-infused yogurt going down the drain and I think I’d cut the recipe in half next time as there would still be plenty to coat a piece of fish. I spritzed our finished dish with a bit of lime and that really seemed to draw out the lovely flavours of the marinade. I served the fish w a quinoa salad and some Tzatziki (from the Olive & the Caper) on the side. We loved the Tzatziki w this. I used Patak’s Tandoori for this dish btw. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/600169#7517727

  • Delys77 on January 07, 2017

    It must have been the tandoori paste. We used Patak's and this dish really didn't turn out well for us. I found the tamarind in the tandoori paste and the salmon really clashed.

• Grilled swordfish with hoisin glaze

  • Jane on July 26, 2012

    So quick and easy and so delicious. The hoisin glaze (on p.439) is very simple and adds great flavor to the fish. I liked the balance of sweet hoisin/honey with limes and cilantro. I didn't do the bok choy and suggested sauces with this dish, instead I made a side salad of corn, black beans & red pepper.

  • smtucker on May 23, 2013

    Ditto. Quick, easy, delicious. Served with dry fried green beans and jasmine rice. Would be wonderful with any firm fish.

• Grilled mahi mahi paillards

  • Delys77 on July 08, 2013

    I didn't bother doing paillards since the filets were quite thin. Served as suggested with just a touch of olive oil and lemon after about 5 1/2 minutes total cooking time on the grill and it was delicious.

• Tuna brochettes with Provençal marinade

  • Breadcrumbs on July 03, 2012

    p. 166 - Terrific. I was looking for a simple marinade with flavours that would compliment my pasta with morels and peas and landed on this recipe. I mixed my dressing by hand as I’d cut the recipe down to 1/4 since we only had 8 scallops. I used lemon-thyme in the dressing as I was using a lemon-basil in the pasta. My scallops marinated for about an hour before being tossed on the grill. Though the author’s suggest you brush the solids off your seafood, we forgot this step and I can’t say the scallops suffered for it. In fact we enjoyed the additional sweetness from the caramelized bits. We thoroughly enjoyed this marinade which played a supporting role in enhancing all that’s good and sweet in the scallops. I’m looking forward to trying this on fish as well. I suspect this will fast become a go-to marinade for grilled fish and seafood here. Lovely. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/600169#7438283

• Sea scallops with jalepeño-grapefruit marinade

  • L.Nightshade on August 01, 2012

    The scallops and shrimp are marinated in grapefruit zest, grapefruit juice, cilantro, jalapeño (we used jalapeño and Serrano), scallions, and vermouth. Shockingly, we were out of vermouth. I used a bit of dry white wine, and the dish didn't seem to suffer at all. The recipe calls for grilling on skewers, but we put them in a grill basket, it's just easier. After marinating, the shellfish is seasoned with salt and pepper, brushed with oil, and grilled. Ours took a bit longer than stated, but the wait was worth it; this dish did not disappoint! The grapefruit juice and zest is very compatible with the flavor of the seafood. Delicious. And easy too; we'll do it again.

• Grilled shrimp

  • Breadcrumbs on June 17, 2012

    p. 172 Seasonal produce is driving our menu now and with some wonderful wild mushrooms I picked up at the market and some fragrant lemon thyme thriving in my garden, I found a simple pasta dish in one of Nigella’s books. That recipe also calls for lemon and thyme so I was looking for a complimentary protein to serve alongside and I landed here. The sweetness of the shrimp and the smoky flavour from the grill paired very well with our earthy mushroom pasta. Can’t wait to do this again w the salsa. I must say I haven’t done a lot of cooking from Nigella’s books but when I do, she too tends to impress and her pasta dish was no exception. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/600169#7406581

  • Laura on June 18, 2012

    Pg. 172. This couldn't be simpler and it produces nicely grilled shrimp. I didn't use head-on, so went for the jumbo size shrimp and cooked them on skewers for ease of turning. The 1.5 minutes per side cook time was perfect. It may not be the most exciting grilled shrimp you've ever made, but it won't disappoint either. I can't recommend the Charred Pineapple and Mango Salsa recipe that is suggested as an accompaniment. But a better mango salsa would pair very well.

• Grilled shrimp with chili-cumin marinade

  • alex9179 on May 26, 2016

    Loved this for tacos with fresh corn tortillas and the lime cabbage from the tuna taco recipe.

• Barbecue shrimp on the grill

  • Breadcrumbs on June 24, 2012

    p. 174 - I’ll whole-heartedly recommend this dish and I’m surprised to find myself saying this since I tend to prefer my seafood straight-up - just give me some evoo, S&P then some lemon or lime and I’m good to go. This dish really, truly surprised me. I actually didn’t even touch my lime wedges!!! (this never, ever happens!). Rick says that fish and seafood deserve their own bbq sauce and he provides us w such a recipe on p. 437. Skeptics please step aside as this sauce is most definitely worth making. This is the best bbq shrimp dish we’ve ever made. The sauce was subtle yet provided the perfect balance of tang and sweetness to enhance the natural caramelized flavours that develop in grilled shrimp. Lovely. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/600179#7421994

  • TrishaCP on July 05, 2016

    It would be hard for anything not to taste good slathered with the delicious barbecue sauce, but the shrimp were exceptional. Just the right briney counterpart. We didn't want to deal with the mess of shells so just put the peeled shrimp on skewers and cooked until they were opaque.

• Whole branzino with charmoula on the grill

  • Jane on July 19, 2012

    I was very excited to use my fish grill basket which I think I have used once in 5 years. It was so easy I am now going to do this regularly. The charmoula was very quick and easy, all done in the processor. I made the mistake of tasting some uncooked - I was tasting raw garlic for hours. Next time I will try to marinate the fish for the whole 8 hours to see how much added flavor there is. I only managed to get 3 hours but I thought it was great - lovely crisp flavored skin, tender, moist fish. Very, very good.

• Roast tuna

  • Cheri on January 06, 2013

    Omitted onions, roasted potatoes for 10 min before putting tuna in. This was ok, but a little dried out. I roasted a fairly nice sized half of an albacore tuna loin. Used leftover for tuna salad which was excellent. Ok, but grilled steaks are better.

• Baked branzino

  • Delys77 on July 20, 2012

    Pg 211 Quick easy and packed with flavour. I used Mahi Mahi and it takes loser to 15 minutes. If it doesn't brown enough on top you cn pop it under the broiler. Also the suggested amount of topping is just right.

  • Laura on December 16, 2014

    Pg. 211. This is a very simple way to cook fish and I will certainly make it again, but with modifications. I made this with Mahi Mahi and found that the 10 minutes suggested was not long enough -- I baked it about 7 minutes more. The topping, unfortunately, did not work out very well. The topping consists of breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, oregano, thyme, parmesan, olive oil, a small amount of lemon juice, and clam juice. I found that it was just too moist to form a nice crust, and it was just kind of a soggy mess. It tasted ok, though. In the future, I would eliminate the clam juice and hope for a better result.

  • Laura on December 26, 2014

    Pg. 211. Made this for a second time with the change I suggested in my earlier note -- eliminated the clam juice. Also, I increased the amount of parmesan and parsley. The topping browned beautifully in the 15 minutes that I cooked the fish -- did not need to resort to using the broiler. Tasted great with a nice crunch from the browned topping.

  • TrishaCP on May 11, 2020

    This is a great way to cook fish. We had halibut instead of branzino, and we also cooked the fish for closer to 15 minutes.

• Baked scallops

  • Jane on July 16, 2012

    I love this with the sun-dried tomato butter, a great combination of sun-dried tomatoes, basil and garlic. This made the dish for me. My scallops were big, meaty sea scallops and they held up to the flavors well. I think it's important to have the butter at room temperature otherwise it won't fully melt in the fast cooking time.. The breadcrumbs on the top added a nice crunch.

  • Laura on April 14, 2013

    Pg. 217. Because this was such an easy and quick recipe, I really wanted to love it, but it was a disappointment. Used weathervane scallops and they were still tough after the 10 minute cooking time. Didn't really like the sun-dried tomato butter sauce. On the other hand, my husband said he enjoyed it a lot.

• Packets of barramundi with shrimp and mushrooms

  • DKennedy on June 26, 2012

    Made this for dinner on 6/25/12. The sauce was wonderful, but I think steaming the fish in the packets caused the fish to taste fishy. May be better if broiled in a cast iron skillet and add the sauce during last minute of cooking.

• Packets of bluefish with peperonata

  • JoanN on August 03, 2013

    Keep an eye on it if making half a recipe of the peperonata; mine scorched because I wasn't paying attention but it was still salvageable. Perfect timing for the bluefish. Don't forget to buy a baguette to mop up the sauce.

• Packets of haddock with zucchini, tomatoes, and parsley pesto

  • TrishaCP on July 24, 2016

    Made this with farmer's market cherry tomatoes and zucchini, and it was absolutely amazing. The flavors were light and fresh and perfect for summer. (Next time I would do a separate packet of tomatoes and zucchini because I could have used more vegetables.) We went with cod since there was no haddock available and served it with whole-wheat couscous.

  • sosayi on July 12, 2018

    I riffed enough on this that I hesitate to review it, but it was so easy and good and so open to minor changes, that I wanted to call it out. I made the parsley pesto exactly as it, though, and just changed the packet composition a little. I mixed the pesto with thinly sliced zucchini, home-canned tomatoes, some dry white wine, and green garlic. Then placed that mixture on top of the fish, with leftover brown rice on the base of it all before sealing. The juices of the parsley pesto and veggie mixture infused the fish and rice and made a great combo. I'll be trying something similar again, for sure.

  • ebgeo on January 06, 2026

    Easy to prepare, tasty, and you end up with your perfectly cooked fish. The recipe allows for your own creative substitutions for veg and pesto.

• Tuna au poivre with fennel salad

  • Delys77 on January 18, 2021

    I realized when I started cooking I was out of coriander and white pepper so I stole some ideas from the recipe just before this and did a bit of a combo with salt, ground fennel and pepper. Salad is very tasty and a nice complement to the tuna. Cooked the yellow fin for closer to 3 minutes as it was quite thick. Tuna is lovely, salad is punchy and tasty. Served with some nice crusty bread, this is an easy and lovely dinner.

• Sautéed mackerel with tomato concassé and cumin butter sauce

  • smtucker on August 03, 2013

    Created a "riff" on this recipe.... dry rubbed bluefish with cumin and salt. Cooked on the grill in a basket, then topped with a butter, lime, and cumin compound butter. Tomatoes were served raw on the side. Fabulous flavors... served with a onion-ginger jam from "Let the Flames Begin."

• Sautéed char with fennel puree and soy-orange sauce

  • Jane on July 15, 2012

    I made this with salmon, one of the alternative fishes that the authors suggest. This was a good dish with a nice balance of flavors between the rich salmon, sweet/tangy sauce and anise flavors of the fennel. I thought the soy-orange balance in the sauce was just right - any more soy and it would have dominated too much. I haven't ever made a sauce this way by reducing orange juice right down to a puree - it really intensified the orange flavor. The fennel puree had some issues - you must remove any fibrous parts of the fennel bulb. I had some core which would not puree and created a hairball in the processor, which is not guaranteed to give you an appetite.

  • aeader on January 09, 2022

    We loved this with the orange-soy sauce (used salmon). I didn't make the fennel puree but am looking forward to trying it next time. This will be a definite repeat. The fish cooked perfectly and the sauce was excellent with it. Served with Lemon Barley Pilaf from Around My French Table.

  • TrishaCP on March 21, 2022

    I made this with the soy orange sauce and the fennel purée and the combination of all three elements was fantastic. I used king salmon and coho salmon instead of char and both worked well and the crispy skin was achieved. Thanks to aeader for the suggestion of the barley side dish, which I also served alongside this dish.

• Sautéed char with Moroccan spices, lentils, and harissa tomato sauce

  • Jane on July 05, 2012

    I made this with salmon which was one of the suggested alternatives to char. This was a much more time consuming dish than I had envisaged as I had to make some of the components from scratch - Moroccan spice mix, harissa, But if you had these to hand it could be a weeknight dinner. I didn't have great success with the tomato sauce (see my Note there) but overall I liked this combination of the spiced salmon, lentils and sauce. I think I'm going to try the sauce again - it would be a good standby to have frozen in individual portions in the freezer . With the spice mix already made now that would become a very doable quick dinner.

• Trout amandine

  • jenmacgregor18 on June 25, 2018

    I was surprised how easy & quick this was to put together. The skin turns out perfectly crispy and the trout is tender. Of course the additional 6 T of butter and crunchy almonds with parsley & lemon juice make it taste pretty amazing. So not an everyday dish; but I can see me making this with a lesser amount of butter & nuts, just to have it a little bit more frequently.

  • Lepa on March 22, 2021

    This is a simple and good fish recipe. It needs extra salt to bring the flavors in balance.

• Sole piccata

  • Laura on January 31, 2015

    Pg. 246. Wow, this was good! And simple and quick. I made it with turbot and it came out perfectly. I followed the recipe exactly except that I did not dredge the fillets in flour and I think that was a good decision. I'd make this again anytime.

  • jenmacgregor18 on September 17, 2018

    This is delicious & quick. I love piccata and it's great with the trout I used. I did dredge the fish, It wasn't a lot of flour. It just added a crispy texture to the skin; but I'm sure it's great with or without.

  • Lu1950s on February 13, 2021

    This is super tasty and fast. I've made it with trout and salmon and the whole family loves it. I double the capers.

• Pecan-crusted turbot

  • HarlanH on February 04, 2013

    They suggest flounder, sole, fluke, catfish, or tilapia as alternatives.

• Butter-basted halibut with creamy corn and red pepper coulis

  • Delys77 on July 17, 2012

    Pg. 251 My first attempt at butter basting and it yielded a lovely piece of fish. I have seen chef's perform this technique on TV and I'm happy I gave it a try. The process yields a nicely cooked piece of fish with the distinct flavour of beurre noisette without having to consume all that butter. The fish was luscious, and very prettily nestled atop the rich cream corn. The drizzle of red pepper coulis with its acidic notes cuts through the richness of the corn and the fish, to yield a very well balanced dish. Delicious!

  • wcassity on July 07, 2018

    Super delicious. Loved the creamy corn and the red pepper cookies. Used halibut filets vs steaks.

• Butter-basted salmon with tea

  • mcvl on May 22, 2011

    Tuesday, 17 May 2011 I had to make something last-minute, and the salmon are running, so I used only the butter basting from this recipe -- wow, what a wonderful technique! I'll go back some time soon and do the whole recipe, but in the meantime keep that butter basting in mind.

  • mcvl on June 13, 2011

    Monday, 13 June 2011 Oh ... my ... gosh, this is one of the best things I've ever cooked, and so easy. I've lost my spice grinder, so I ground the tea in a mortar with a pestle. I made both the cucumber salad and the horseradish cream, and I stirred all the lovely brown butter and fishy bits into the horseradish, so I have enough for another meal later in the week. The salmon are running, the salmon are running!

• "Everything" tuna

  • smtucker on October 27, 2016

    Ahi Tuna. This was surprisingly delicious! Cut tuna into 1 x 1 x 3 chunks. Notes: Cook only 80 seconds per chunk; less salt in the "everything" blend. Used peanut oil in cast iron for frying. Great crunch and flavor. Soy on the side was not an improvement, and wasabi seems wrong too. Used wasabi-salt from Germany on the Jasmine Rice and steamed vegetables. On the list of go-to recipes for Costco tuna.

• Chicken-fried trout

  • Jane on July 12, 2012

    I very rarely cook fried fish but I loved this. The flavors in the marinade were terrific - buttermilk, red onions, dill, garlic lemon - and they came through in the fish. But the best bit was the way the flour joined with the marinade to make a crispy flavorful coating. I served this with Green Tartar Sauce on p.417 and Carrot Slaw on p. 454 from the same book. Great meal.

• Sicilian tuna salad sandwich

  • Jane on July 20, 2012

    I was looking for another use for the Tuna preserved in oil on p.98 since I didn't have much success with the salad. This was much better, though again I think a good quality tin of tuna in olive oil would be just as good (and cheaper). Re-hydrated sun-dried tomatoes, tuna, spinach and capers are fried together then packed into a sandwich loaf. I skipped the hard-boiled eggs. The only bread I had was pita and that worked fine though I think it would be delicious in the semolina bread recommended. This would be a good store-cupboard meal (if you also have spinach in your fridge).

• Carrot slaw

  • Jane on July 12, 2012

    I thought this was great. The only thing I would do differently next time is whisk up the oil and rice vinegar with the ginger first before tossing it into the carrots. That will make it easier to spread the ginger evenly. Also I think it is important to microplane the ginger as he suggests so it distributes evenly. I liked it a lot, didn't think it was too gingery. The toasted coriander adds subtle flavors as well.

  • Delys77 on August 21, 2012

    Pg 454 A very simple recipe with relatively simple results. Not bad per se but a little light on flavour by our taste.

• Green tartar sauce

  • Jane on July 12, 2012

    I liked this but didn't love it. I like my tartar with a bit more bite and I found this rather bland and mayonnaisey, even after a couple of days in the fridge. I added more chopped cornichons and capers which helped punch it up a bit.

  • smtucker on February 13, 2011

    best tartar sauce ever!

  • sdeathe on June 01, 2020

    This is easy and delicious, one of my favourite sauces. Letting it sit really does smooth out and meld the flavours. I use gherkins and curly-leaf parsley. I've had several requests for this recipe.

• Soy-orange sauce

  • Jane on July 15, 2012

    I hadn't ever made a sauce this way before. 2 cups of fresh orange juice are reduced down by boiling quickly until it becomes 1/3 cup. By then it is quite thick, like a puree. Just one teaspoon of soy sauce is whisked in then pieces of butter and it amalgamates into a smooth sweet/tangy sauce. I served it with salmon and fennel puree which was an excellent combination.

  • TrishaCP on March 21, 2022

    I agree, this is a vibrant and tangy sauce that goes really well with the salmon and fennel purée.

• Fennel puree

  • Jane on July 15, 2012

    This tasted good though I could definitely have made it better if I had removed anything that resembled core in the fennel bulb. I haven't ever pureed fennel before and I assumed the 1/2 inch pieces would all cook through in 40 minutes of simmering. But the core pieces wrapped around the processor blade and resembled a hairball which is not going to help build an appetite for dinner. So my puree was not as smooth as it should have been but I still liked it. I served it with sauteed salmon on p.237 and soy-orange sauce on p.424 from the same book. A really good combination.

  • TrishaCP on March 21, 2022

    I thought this was great- had no hairball problems like Jane. It does go amazingly well with the soy orange sauce. But the portion that is made with 1 lb of fennel is pretty small. It is rich, so maybe that is the point, but the amount was more like a sauce or a dip than a side dish.

• Sun-dried tomato butter

  • Jane on July 16, 2012

    This was excellent. I have so far used it for the Baked scallops on p.217, for Broiled tilapia fillets on p.124, for Broiled salmon using the same recipe and for baked chicken breasts. I love the flavor combination of sun-dried tomatoes, basil and garlic. I think I will always have some compound butter in the fridge or freezer - I didn't realize I have been missing out on this great flavor punch for a quick dinner.

• Creamy corn

  • Jane on July 16, 2012

    So quick and easy. Fresh corn kernels, simmered with heavy cream and some salt and pepper. And that's it. Just don't turn your back when it is coming up to a simmer - one minute I had a lot of cream in the pan, then when I next looked over it was a thick sauce. I added a bit more cream to thin it down for the rest of the simmering time and it was fine. Actually mighty fine! I served it with broiled salmon with sun-dried tomato compound butter (p.124 & 413).

  • Delys77 on July 17, 2012

    This was a revelation given the simplicity and the relative few ingredients. I used fresh corn and simmered in my Le Creuset Saucier for closer to 15-20 minutes. Delicious little side.

• Coconut and green curry sauce

  • Jane on July 03, 2012

    p.431 I liked this a lot. It is easy to prep. I didn't notice until too late the advice to make it a day or two ahead but I still thought it was great. I couldn't find fresh kaffir lime leaves so I used dried. I did find it very spicy so next time I will use half the green curry paste. I served it with the halibut poached in milk with bok choy on p.89 - a great meal.

  • Delys77 on July 03, 2012

    I made the halibut with this green curry sauce last night, and I really liked the sauce. I was out of dry white wine so I used a bit of dry vermouth instead, and it doesn't seem to have affected the sauce negatively at all. The result was creamy and tangy, with a touch of sweetness and an aromatic base that is very tasty. I also didn't note that it was meant to sit for a few days but I found the sauce very tasty even freshly made. I think all curry pastes aren't created equal, as I actually found the sauce a little too tame. Mr. Delys actually asked for some minced chilies which I think I will need to add to the sauce next time if I am using the same chili paste. The only other thing ot note is that there are three ingredients that contribute a sour note to this recipe, the lemon grass, lime juice, and kaffir lime leaves. All of which add their own characteristic note, just remember to follow the suggested proportions so that your sauce doesn't end up too astringent.

• Moroccan spice mix

  • Jane on July 05, 2012

    I liked this rub though it made a lot and I'm not sure what I will use it up with. I initially used it for the Sauteed salmon with Moroccan spices, lentils and harissa tomato sauce on p.239 of this book. I then used it on a piece of grilled chicken though I will use a heavier hand next time as I didn't get a big flavor kick from it. It would also brighten up frozen white fish.

• Harissa tomato sauce

  • Jane on July 05, 2012

    p.429 Although this is described as a quick sauce, it wasn't for me as I first had to make the Moroccan spice mix and some harissa (thought I had some but turned out I didn't). If you had those to hand it would be quick. It cooks over medium high heat and there is no liquid apart from the tomato juices so it ended up being a fairly solid sauce, more like a hot salsa. I had a problem with the tomatoes too. He says Pomi tomatoes are important but there were none at my Whole Foods and they said they have never had them. So I used Roma but I should have peeled them first as the skins were rather dominant since the sauce cooked for such a short time. Or I should have used canned chopped tomatoes which was his other recommendation. Overall I didn't love this sauce. But I may try it again with peeled tomatoes since I have all that Moroccan spice mix to use up.

• Mixed pickled vegetables

  • Jane on July 18, 2012

    I made this in order to make the Tuna salad with pickled vegetables on p.335. I'm not a pickle making expert but I do like eating them. And I found these very astringent. I didn't dislike them but they are more mouth-puckering than I would like.

• Hoisin glaze

  • Jane on July 26, 2012

    I made this for Grilled swordfish on p.163. I thought this was great, really quick and easy but added a great depth of flavor to the fish. I liked the balance of sweet hoisin/honey with limes and cilantro.

  • Breadcrumbs on June 12, 2012

    p. 439 I made this glaze to accompany the Grilled Dorade (Trout) with Hoisin Sauce (p. 142) It couldn’t come together any quicker. Hoisin sauce, lime juice, honey, garlic, cilantro (parsley) are combined and seasoned w coarse salt. I skipped the salt as my Hoisin had made the sauce salty enough for our tastes. The author’s say 'this quick glaze turns a simple piece of grilled or sautéed fish into something special'. They’re right. A great testament to how a few good ingredients can be combined to produce a dish far greater than the sum of its parts. We loved this. I’ll definitely make this again. We especially liked the use of lime, which always reminds me of the wonderful fish and seafood dishes we’ve enjoyed in the Caribbean. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/600179#7398163

• Linguine with clams

  • Breadcrumbs on July 07, 2015

    p. 182 - I love linguini with clams and it’s such a classic dish that at some point you’re bound to think there’s no room for improvement. That said, I’ve been so impressed with every single recipe I’ve prepared from this book that instead of making my go-to version this evening, I opted to use this recipe as I’ve had it on my “must-try” list since 2012. This turned out to be a very wise choice as we absolutely loved RM’s version; so much so that it will now become my new “go-to” recipe. I made one slight revision by replacing the parsley with basil as we always make this substitution since the licorice-y flavour of the basil plays so well with seafood. The slow-simmered garlic takes this dish from great to remarkable. Fabulous! I used some lovely, sweet Chesapeake Bay clams we picked up on our trip to Buffalo yesterday. Photo here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/600176?commentId=9633809#9633809

  • mfto on December 29, 2011

    p 382 I had only 2 dozen littleneck clams but otherwise followed the recipe with one additional ingredient. I followed his instructions for cooking the clams which was perfect. I also removed the clams from the shells as instructed but my husband feels this is a mistake. The clams are so much more attractive in the shell. My big mistake was to add a little leftover marinara sauce. This overwhelmed the clams. The broth from cooking the clams is sufficient. It is difficult to make an entire dinner from this unless you buy 4 dozen littleneck clams as he suggests. Expensive. There is a video availble of Moonen preparing this dish on the Today show.

• Basil butter

  • Breadcrumbs on August 04, 2012

    p. 409 Wonderful. Summertime in a spread! I can’t say I’ve made a lot of compound butters and I debated whether to bother with this one but I’m so glad I did, it’s absolutely terrific and I’m making several more rolls to freeze so we can enjoy the wonderful summery taste of basil all year round. Rick’s method of blanching the leaves definitely preserves basil’s brilliant green colour and the freshness and intensity of the basil flavour in our finished dishes far exceeded our expectations. Aside from the fish dishes, we’ve used this on fresh and grilled bread, steamed rice, steamed veggies and pasta. I wholeheartedly recommend this.

  • Delys77 on July 23, 2012

    Pg 409 Delicious butter that would pair well with fish, vegetables, breads, or maybe chicken. The lack of liquid means it comes together super easily. The notes of garlic and basil are just right in these quantities.

• Spicy rémoulade

  • Breadcrumbs on July 02, 2012

    p. 416 - Fantastic! My new 'go-to' spicy remoulade recipe. Reminds us of our fave from the old Riverside in Lewiston NY. Omitting the dill does the trick and the use of Harissa is brilliant - adds just the right amount of heat. Wonderful recipe, so glad to have discovered this. Made it as a component of the Remoulade Salmon on the Grill recipe (p. 161 of this book) - another great recipe.

  • Rita on February 07, 2012

    We alternate among tartar sauce, Moonen's Green Tartar Sauce, and this Spicy Remoulade. All excellent, as is his Chesapeake Seasoning, which resembles Old Bay, but is salt-free (I prefer to salt the food to our taste, and then add as much or little seasoning as I want.

  • L.Nightshade on August 01, 2012

    Made a half recipe of this to put on some grilled oysters. I did not have fresh dill, and added a bit of dried dill. I also did not add any additional salt. Aside from those changes, I first made the recipe as directed. After it was completed, the taste of store-bought mayonnaise was far too prevalent for my taste (I think it would have been fine with homemade mayonnaise). So I upped the amounts of every other ingredient. By upping the other ingredients, I essentially just decreased the mayo. After this adjustment, the sauce was delicious, and perfect for the grilled oysters. We used the leftover remoulade on hamburgers a couple nights later, and it added a delicious punch!

• Paella

  • Breadcrumbs on June 21, 2013

    p. 390 - Delicious and visually appealing this is a family-style meal that would impress your toughest critics. The adaptations I made were: • I had a fennel and a red pepper languishing in the crisper so I roasted them off, chopped them and added them into the paella along with the chopped tomato. I used yellow tomatoes. • I used chicken stock vs water and a bouillon cube • I used ¾ lb of chicken thighs which I chopped and; • 2.5 lbs of mussels • I used lobster since I had neither clams nor fish on hand • I sliced my chorizo very thinly vs chopping it • My peas were fresh from the market and we loved how they popped in your mouth…little bursts of sweetness I did manage to find Spanish long grain rice and it cooked beautifully. I didn’t add any seasoning to the dish as I cooked as I find shellfish add their own brininess. I did pass S&P at the table though I don’t recall anyone using it. This was delicious. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/600176#8149756

• New England clam chowder

  • Breadcrumbs on August 04, 2012

    p. 302 So this is the very first recipe I’ve tried from this highly recommended book and the results blew us away! This is, without a doubt, the best clam chowder we’ve ever had! In fact, one of our guests said it was the best thing he’d ever eaten! He is a self-proclaimed clam-chowder-lover though so I’ll take that feedback in context. Honestly, I just can’t express how good this was. The sweetness of the leeks enhanced the sweetness of the clams. The chopped thick cut bacon imparted a lovely smoky flavour and the texture of the small pieces of bacon mirrored the texture of the clams. I will say that I opted to chop my veggies in a 1/4 in. dice vs the mincing that RM recommends since we usually like our chowders chunky. We also really liked the addition of white wine (vs dry sherry which I find is more traditional). If you like clam chowder, you must give this a try. A truly outstanding recipe. photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/600174#7127502

  • Delys77 on July 09, 2012

    Pg. 302 This was fabulous! A very hearty soup that will satisfy a 4 as a meal accompanied by some bread or perhaps a nice green salad. I did simmer the base closer to 20 minutes to make sure the potatoes were done, otherwise I followed it exactly. Not fishy in the slightest, just the perfect balance of richness, smokiness, and slight tang from the lemon. I ended up using 50% half and half and 50% cream and tasted delicious. Although I do suspect the mouth feel from all cream would have been even better.

• Catfish sloppy Joes

  • Breadcrumbs on July 28, 2012

    p. 373 -I had some of the barbecue sauce left over from another dish I’d prepared. FYI, it freezes well so all I had to do was defrost it and away I went with this recipe. I used Pickerel instead of catfish and I don’t love green peppers so I went w a yellow bell pepper instead. The book instructs you to top these with some potato chips for some added crunch. Though it wouldn’t have been my first instinct, we went with it and really enjoyed them. Kinda made a nice dish a little naughty!! I have to admit, mr bc wasn’t as excited - read (he was dreading this meal) - about trying these as I was but the dish won him over. We both enjoyed this very much and I’ll definitely make it again. photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/600176#7466672

  • TrishaCP on January 24, 2021

    Incredibly delicious and very fast if you have the barbecue sauce already prepared. We used tilapia.

  • wcassity on October 29, 2018

    Crazy tasty. Used hake. I made the BBQ sauce in one saucepan vs two, still turned out great. Everyone loved it - better than ground beef sloppy joe, to me.

• Barbecue sauce for fish

  • Breadcrumbs on June 24, 2012

    p. 437 Please make this sauce, it’s excellent. The authors say that fish deserve their own special bbq sauce and although I was skeptical, I decided to give this a try as the recipe was a key component in the Barbecue Shrimp on the Grill recipe on p. 174. I think what truly makes this sauce is the brilliant use of clam sauce and the fact that you make your own caramel for the sauce (no kidding!). This is honestly the very first time we’ve grilled shrimp w something other than evoo, S&P and I’ve loved them. This sauce has changed my mind about how to best prepare seafood. Awesome recipe and thankfully, there’s plenty leftover and in the freezer for other recipes in the book.

  • TrishaCP on July 05, 2016

    This sauce is delicious. We used it in the barbecue shrimp recipe and with grilled monkfish, and it was great with both applications. I look forward to grilling more with this sauce over the summer.

• Charred pineapple and mango salsa

  • Laura on June 18, 2012

    Pg. 396. I made this exactly as written...unfortunately. I should have listened to my doubts about adding the zest and juice of TWO limes. I feared that it would be too tart. And it was. I also think I would have preferred the pineapple in its natural state rather than grilled, which is kind of surprising. All in all, this was a big disappointment and I won't be making it again -- there are far better mango salsa recipes available.

• Tzatziki

  • Laura on June 12, 2011

    Page 399. I made this to accompany the Tandoori Salmon, also from this book. It was a nice, refreshing companion to that dish. However, as a tzatziki, it didn't really work for me. It was far too thick -- too many cucumbers. I will say that the following day the yogurt had thinned considerably and I liked it much better. I used Fage Greek yogurt.

• Asian slaw

  • Laura on June 12, 2011

    Page 453. This was light and refreshing and a good accompaniment to the Tandoori Salmon from this book. On the other hand, I didn't find it to be anything special. I would substitute Deborah Madison's Cabbage Slaw with Spicy Greens (Veg Cooking for Everyone).

  • Acarroll on November 22, 2021

    This was just ok. I was looking for a side dish to accompany Peking Portabellos. This seemed bland - maybe some sliced almonds or mandarin oranges would have brightened it up.

• Potato leek stew with shrimp and hake

  • Laura on October 03, 2014

    Pg. 307. We liked this a lot! I used Mahi-Mahi in place of the Hake and half-and half in place of the heavy cream. The major issue I had with this recipe is that there was very little broth -- I had to add more chicken stock just to keep it a little moist. Still, it tasted great and we both had second servings.

  • TrishaCP on January 16, 2016

    Agree with everyone else that this was great! The leeks, scallions, and watercress were so flavorful together. The potatoes needed 20-25 minutes to get to the right texture. I kept my pan covered while cooking and had no problems with generating enough broth.

  • Delys77 on September 11, 2012

    Pg 307 He is right that this is very quick comfort food. I had Mahi Mahi on hand and used that instead of the Hake and it held up quite well. Although next time I might only give the fish and shrimp 8 minutes of simmering in the pot as they were a bit overdone at 10 minutes. The broth is very nice, and still plenty rick with only a 1/2 cup of cream (added a bit more stock to compensate). My potatoes took closer to 20 minutes, but were lovely and toothsome with the fish. Spencer also quite liked this, most likely because it has some chowder like components.

  • Lu1950s on March 03, 2018

    This is so good! My whole family loved it. I served it with a salad and a loaf of crusty bread. My grocery store didn't carry watercress so I chopped up a little parsley to add some color. I had to substitute cod for the hake.

  • chawkins on April 11, 2014

    Very nice. I used baby bliss instead of the yukon gold called for. Really like the addition of the watercress, its bitterness not only cut the richness of the broth but also give the dish a new dimension in taste.

• Shrimp stock

  • Laura on November 16, 2012

    Pg. 323. This makes a lovely base for a seafood soup and it couldn't be easier.

  • lorloff on October 10, 2015

    I agree made a huge pot of it 4X the recipe and it was great. Added some smashed garlic, fresh thyme and whole peppercorns used the stock to make a fantastic saffron risotto from Sunday Suppers at Lucques.

• Shrimp chili

  • Laura on October 04, 2014

    Pg. 327. This was a great way to use cooked, frozen shrimp and it was really good. I made it the day before serving so the flavors had time to deepen. I used fire-roasted tomatoes to kick up the heat. It was spicy, but not overly so. For toppings I served sour cream, chopped scallions, and cilantro.

  • TrishaCP on December 07, 2016

    We loved this but I would agree that you need to watch the heat. I halved the recipe, but used a whole 14 oz can of tomatoes and omitted the beans. We omitted the chipotle, and used the full (but proportional) amount of jalapeño and medium chile powder (Penzeys). With these tweaks it was just on the verge of too hot (but we did omit the beans), but ended up just hot enough.

  • chawkins on December 14, 2016

    This was very good. Not too hot for our taste. I used a tad more beans than asked for, I had 2 cups of red kidney beans that I cooked in the IP in the freezer, so that was what I used. Since I was only cooking for two, did not want to overlook the shrimp on reheating, I saved half of the base for another meal, but I forgot to halve the chipotle sauce for the shrimp marinade, still it was not too spicy for us, perhaps the extra beans took care of that.

  • L.Nightshade on October 20, 2013

    I always think of chili-making as a long process, but with fast-cooking shrimp, canned kidney beans, and canned fire-roasted tomatoes, this version came together very quickly. It is definitely a delicious and repeatable workday dinner.

  • Delys77 on February 12, 2013

    Pg. 327 This dish gets very high marks for several reasons. Firstly, it is extremely tasty, with the smokey heat of chipotles, the tender shrimp, and the lovely aromatic base. Secondly it comes together very quickly, and thirdly it is original and healthy. Definitely going into the rotation. Just be careful of the heat. I find one jalalapeno is plenty if you are using the chipotles.

• Tomatillo and poblano sauce

  • Laura on July 26, 2014

    Pg. 426. Loved everything about this sauce. It was very easy to make and the finished product was quite attractive. It had the perfect amount of tang without being too sour. I served it over broiled salmon, but I honestly think it would go well with almost anything -- white flesh fish, chicken, pork, grilled, broiled, roasted or steamed vegetables. It's a really versatile sauce.

  • Waderu on August 10, 2014

    Made this last night with one poblano and one red bell pepper. Grilled the peppers and the tomatillos and used parsley instead of cilantro. It was great. I'm freezing the leftovers to use for enchilada sauce.

  • Waderu on September 10, 2012

    Amazingly delicious. Used it with fish tacos and grilled vegetables.

  • TrishaCP on July 15, 2014

    We really enjoyed this recipe. The flavors are really bright and acidic and went perfectly with simple grilled fish (we used red snapper) and corn and tomato salad.

• Niçoise salad

  • JoanN on September 24, 2015

    Was looking for something a little different in a Niçoise and was thrilled to find it in this book. I made the recipe as written with the Tuna Preserved in Oil (page 98) and the Pickled Onions (page 400). Unlike smtucker, I loved the vinaigrette. Pretty as a picture, and company worthy—for the right company.

• Salmon burgers with green tartar sauce

  • smtucker on July 24, 2014

    The green tartar sauce is fabulous!

• Tuna burgers with harissa mayonnaise

  • smtucker on October 28, 2016

    So much better in real life than on the page. Used a Harissa from Ana Sortun's SPICE. Homemade mayonnaise. No dill. Lots of chives. Served with rice vinegar cured pickled onions on rolls from BBA: Version 2 of White Bread.

• Mom's cucumber salad

  • KarenS on July 09, 2012

    Ugh! Ugh, ugh, ugh! With a cup of vinegar, these are pickles, not salad, and pretty darn sour ones at that. I don't know why I even made this recipe, given that I would normally use just a tablespoon or two of vinegar for a cucumber salad. What was I thinking? What was he thinking? He could call it a quick pickle relish to be used in modest amounts as a condiment, but surely no one could eat this as a salad, could they? We certainly couldn't. Even when I make pickles, I don't use straight vinegar, more like a 1-1 or even 1-2 vinegar to water solution. This is crazy sour, even with rice wine vinegar. I've saved the dill-infused vinegar for future uses and am soaking the remaining cukes in salt water Maybe they'll be more palatable tomorrow.

  • mcvl on June 13, 2011

    Monday, 13 June 2011 I never peel cucumbers and seldom seed them, and on my current down-with-sugar campaign I used a small pinch of sugar rather than a teaspoon -- but the happy result of down-with-sugar is that the pinch was plenty. A lovely cucumber salad, perfect with the Tea-steamed Sea Bass.

• Horseradish cream

  • mcvl on June 13, 2011

    Monday, 13 June 2011 I made this sauce, as Rick suggested, to go with his Tea-steamed Sea Bass, and stirred all the delicious brown butter and fishy bits into the horseradish. Brilliant, just brilliant.

  • cookshelf_abf88q on April 04, 2026

    Microplaning the horseradish makes this extra delish. Substituting half sour cream and half cream works well too

  • stockholm28 on October 31, 2014

    I used fresh horseradish and found this sauce a bit too potent for my taste. I added a little more creme fraiche to get it to my liking. It was delicious with salmon and roasted potatoes.

• Corn and clam chowder

  • Waderu on December 21, 2014

    Subbed a mixture of 1/2 t smoked salt, 1/4 t smoked paprika and smoked black pepper for the bacon. Subbed white beans for the potatoes. Used a mix of skim milk and greek yogurt for the half and half.

• Green beans and chorizo

  • DKennedy on June 26, 2012

    Easy and delicious

• Pasta with shrimp and roasted tomato sauce

  • TrishaCP on August 20, 2021

    Yes, this is a great dish. It is so nice to find a recipe that works to use the gorgeous tomatoes we get each summer (that are not plum tomatoes) in a pasta sauce. I had huge tomatoes so I also needed to roast them for about 25-30 minutes, and then it took probably about another 30 minutes to get my sauce to the correct consistency. So not fast but delicious. I agree on doubling the olives but I thought we had plenty of capers. I subbed anchovy paste in a tube for anchovies, and it's possible that I under-measured compared to the whole anchovies, but I liked the flavor I achieved.

  • Delys77 on May 29, 2015

    Pg. 376 We loved this. The method for preparing the sauce is very simple and the results are lovely with a definite richness from the olive oil and a touch of sweetness from the onion that just melt into the sauce. In my oven it took closer to 25-30 to get he desired result but it was delicious. I would double the amount of fried capers and olives in the dish as they also really add to this pasta. I would however cut the anchovy back by about half and it works very well with whole wheat pasta.

• Clams Casino

  • L.Nightshade on August 01, 2012

    We made this dish using clams that Mr NS dug up on the beach. We liked it, and actually served it as our main course. I didn't have the breadcrumbs, and I think crusty little breadcrumbs atop would have made it better. If I do it again I'll definitely add the breadcrumbs. In addition, I would chop the peppers into a finer dice, as the recipe states. Mr. NS did the chopping and I think he felt that bigger clams should get bigger pieces, but the fine dice instructions are correct to my mind. With a seemingly endless supply of clams, I'd try this again, but Mr. NS stated that he'd prefer to try some other recipes.

• Classic steamed mussels

  • jenmacgregor18 on June 25, 2018

    I used this recipe with littleneck clams. It was spot on. I haven't cooked seafood & fish at home much. However, I can see me doing so more often with this book. It's very approachable & reliable. Also there's a good tip on "Cooking Clams" on another page - about not all the clams opening at once & how to handle. Perfect for a neophyte like me.

• Mussels with fennel

  • mpo on December 25, 2025

    Cooked for Xmas Eve and was special enough. I don’t know if my flame was too high but all the liquid cooked down with the tomatoes cooking down, bit the tomato fennel combination was very tasty.

• Mussels with black bean sauce

  • chawkins on August 29, 2014

    Very good and the perfect amount of spiciness for us. Unfortunately, the mussels I got were not very meaty.

  • PinchOfSalt on May 14, 2016

    Excellent! I thought about substituting Asian ingredients for the vinegar and basil (for example, Chinese black vinegar and Thai basil) but the recipe as written is superb. Finger-licking good, and the timing for the steps was spot-on.

  • L.Nightshade on August 01, 2012

    Oh my goodness! This was out of this world! We had it as a main dish with just a salad for the side. Neither of us could stop eating, and we went through almost 2 pounds of mussels! Our version was a bit spicier than the recipe. Mr. NS threw in an extra spoonful of sambal oelek, unaware that I had done the same thing. I would do it exactly the same way again. And the bit of butter adds such a nice, rich feel to it. What a great combination of flavors! The second time I made this dish I doubled it. It didn't work quite as well, so if doubling, I would suggest not doubling the water, perhaps just adding a little extra.

• Manhattan clam chowder

  • Rinshin on June 20, 2015

    Used some liberty with this recipe based on what I had on hand. Instead of clams and making clam stock, I used shrimp stock and direct from Alaska Pacific cod instead of clams. All other ingredients I used as stated but also added mizuna from my garden . Wow, wonderful taste unlike so many over the top tomato in your face Manhattan clam chowders! Great use of any seafood stock you have on hand.

• Louis salad

  • jenmacgregor18 on November 27, 2018

    I used sriracha instead of Tabasco & chili sauce. & napa cabbage & arugula instead of the lettuce. The dressing was spicy; but didn't overwhelm the flavor of the crab or other ingredients.

• Lobster and potato salad

  • jenmacgregor18 on August 01, 2023

    I used the recommended substitute of shrimp for lobster. I omitted celery and added extra green onion. I also omitted smoked oysters and added smoked paprika and cayenne. I realize that I changed it a bit, but this is delicious. And because I had already cooked shrimp and leftover potatoes, it was a quick assembly.

• Citrus roast lobster salad

  • alex9179 on December 19, 2016

    The marinade works well for shrimp and the dressing is incredible. This is easily adaptable to any veggies on hand for the base salad. Unexpectedly wonderful in winter, when citrus is in season. A meal to repeat.

• Pineapple rum ceviche with shrimp

  • jenmacgregor18 on December 26, 2022

    This was okay, but not our favorite.

• Pasta with shrimp and ginger cream

  • Lu1950s on February 26, 2018

    This recipe was super delicious. I subbed rice vinegar for champagne vinegar. Instead of arranging the shrimp around the pasta, I mixed it all together.

  • sosayi on May 02, 2018

    A nice, quick dinner on a weeknight. I made the following changes: pacific cod instead of shrimp (what I had on hand); lactose-free half and half instead of cream; home-canned tomatoes instead of fresh (which I added to the sauce); we used WW pasta. It basically utilized pantry ingredients, not counting the snow peas which added a great fresh crunch, and I can see us eating this again. Preschooler approved.

• Shrimp fra diavolo

  • Delys77 on July 05, 2012

    Pg. 380 Great little pasta dish. I have made similar things before but this one has a few tweaks that take it up to another level. Firstly you make a shrimp stock with a bit of wine, water, and some shells, which is then heavily seasoned, reduced, and has some lovely canned tomatoes added. The result is a highly seasoned sauce with nice briney notes. The jumbo shrimp also workout very well with his high heat sear, and light cooking in the sauce at the end. Great little dish!

  • TrishaCP on July 13, 2019

    This was really flavorful and easy to pull together. I subbed chicken stock after a domestic miscommunication led the shrimp shells to be tossed out instead of used in the stock (whoops). Still good.

• Linguine with tuna sauce

  • TrishaCP on April 12, 2017

    Thanks to sosayi for flagging this on a night I needed a pantry recommendation! The sauce had a real depth of flavor that was surprising with the short cooking time (I'm sure it was the anchovies). I really like the idea of adding capers to this as an add-in to cut the slight fishiness of the sauce.

  • sosayi on April 11, 2017

    A surprising hit! Easy, quick pasta made with pantry essentials that was more than a sum of its parts. I'd definitely make it again, and would try adding the sun-dried tomatoes or capers that he suggests as possible add-ins, but the dish was delicious even without them.

• Red curry shrimp

  • Lepa on April 19, 2020

    I often consider giving this book away because I have had it for years and it's on the shelf with books I rarely use. Every once in a while I pull it out and make something delicious and remember that this book is a keeper! This shrimp curry was really good. I used small frozen shrimp. Like others, I cooked the onions and peppers longer so they browned a bit to add flavor. I used the suggested amount of curry paste and lime. It was perfect for my kids; my husband and I added sriracha to our portions to increase the spice. We ate it with rice and Chinese broccoli.

  • stockholm28 on March 15, 2014

    Very good. To cut the calories a bit, I used half the amount of oil and light coconut milk. I'm sure it would have been better with full-fat, but it was still very tasty.

  • Delys77 on May 27, 2013

    Pg. 386 I quite liked this, but I would suggest doubling or tripling the amount of curry paste as it is too tame with the 2 tsp suggested. I also cooked the onions before the peppers, and cooked them for much longer than suggested so that they would caramelize a little. Went with 16/20 count shrimp and they were fine in terms of size. Go easy on the lime as a put the juice of a whole lime and it might have been a touch too much.

• Leek and asparagus risotto with sea scallops

  • Delys77 on July 26, 2012

    Pg 388 I used the suggested shrimp as a substitute ndvthis was good. The technique of pureeing the asparagus before they go in is a very nice touch, resulting in a beautiful colour and a lovely texture. Also the short marinating with rhyme really contributed a nice note to the shrimp. My only modification was to add about a half cup of Parmesan. I know that fish and cheese are a bit of a no no but I need the umami of the parm in risotto.

• Basic butter sauce

  • BlytheSpirit on June 30, 2012

    This is a delightful little butter sauce. Lighter than a hollandaise - and light also because it's made with water and an immersion blender. I made this as a base for wasabi butter the first time but have subsequently used it (along with a spritz of lemon) on simply cooked fish. It is also delicious on asparagus, broccoli etc.

• Parsley pesto

  • sosayi on July 12, 2018

    Very basic recipe, but I liked the proportions a lot. Will repeat.

• Tarragon butter

  • TrishaCP on June 23, 2015

    A must try for tarragon lovers. With the lemon juice and zest, just a lovely light adornment to fish.

• Lemon dill butter

  • TrishaCP on August 07, 2017

    Delicious topping for fish.

• Bell pepper coulis

  • Delys77 on July 17, 2012

    Red Pepper Coulis Unfortunately I don't have the book with me to post the page number, but this is recommended as an accompaniment to the butter basted halibut. As noted in that post I think this lovely coulis with its touch of aciditiy from the wine and vinegar makes for a great counterpoint to a rich main or side. Great sauce!

  • sherrib on November 25, 2016

    Excellent, easy to follow recipe. Proportions are perfect. Everybody who has tried it has loved this versatile sauce.

• Homemade Chesapeake seasoning

  • Rita on February 07, 2012

    Very good. Similar to Old Bay, but without the salt. Salt the food to taste and add as much or as little Chesapeake Seasoning as you'd like. It's my go-to seafood seasoning.

• Cajun spice mix

  • L.Nightshade on August 01, 2012

    Coriander seeds, fennel seeds, white peppercorns, black peppercorns (I used a mix that also had some green and red peppercorns along with the white and black), cayenne, Hungarian paprika (I used half Hungarian, and half Spanish smoked agridulce), chile powder, celery seeds, oregano, thyme, and coarse salt (whew) are all ground together. Here the recipe also calls for dried onion and garlic powder. We threw in some fresh garlic cloves instead. This was great! A very nice combination of flavors. I couldn't identify it as particularly Cajun, but it was very tasty. The multiple seeds and spices gave it just enough complexity, but did not overwhelm the fish. We've refrigerated the leftover rub, and may try it on chicken or pork; it's flexible. I just may get some dried onion and garlic into my pantry to make a jar of this to have on hand.

• Basic bok choy

  • Delys77 on July 03, 2012

    Pg .451 Very simply preparation that works well as a basic side. My only issue is that bok choi is very watery so I find it always benefits from a parboiling and then a quick saute to dry it out a little.

• German-style potato salad

  • blintz on September 27, 2020

    Easy and tasty non-mayo potato salad. I added steamed corn to the mix.

• Coconut rice with carrots

  • TrishaCP on March 28, 2022

    This is an easy and delicious side. I loved the addition of grated carrots to the rice.