The River Cottage Fish Book

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Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Nick Fisher

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Pages: 608 (Hardcover)

ISBN: 0747588694

Pub: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Pub date: 2007-11-19

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 401

Editorial Review:

20% OFF! Whilst Stocks Last! More than just a cookbook, this beautifully produced volume in three parts promotes a total understanding of British fish, from their natural habitats to what sauce they go best with to how to respect their seasonality, in keeping with the River Cottage ethos. The first part is dedicated to understanding fish - Hugh and Nick explain the ins and outs of procuring a good fish, discussing fish farming, aquaculture, sustainability and harvesting issues, how to buy and catch fish in an ethical way, and how to prepare it for the kitchen. Next they open up a whole world of fish cooking - pickling, salting, barbecuing, frying, potting, stewing, smoking and more are explained in depth, each technique followed by classic recipes from gravadlax to kedgeree, from sashimi to chip shop battered cod. Finally, Hugh and Nick present Britain's best fish by species, giving portraits with notes on seasonality and ecology, as well as listing the relevant recipes from part 2 with alternatives. "The River Cottage Fish Book" is the only book on fish that the adventurous fish lover will ever need. The ultimate guide to British fish that reveals everything from their natural habitats to cooking and preserving techniques to how to respect their seasonality.

Reader Reviews:

Not just a cookery book (0/0 people found this helpful)

I was impressed that this book goes much further than just fishy stories and recipes. It is a good read in its own right and the text would appeal to many people and not just those of us who want to make the most of the range of fish now on offer at the local fishmonger. It is very well written and easy to read and I found it really absorbing.

Just one thing, if you are of a certain age and need reading glasses you will definitely need them for this book. The text in this weighty tome is a tad on the small size.

Excellent (0/0 people found this helpful)

This really is a smashing book. Ms Green's review covers everything that you need to know about the contents of this fishy doorstopper, but it is also worth adding that the recipes themselves are both simple and hugely successful.

I've tried eight recipes to date with a range of seafood including bass, squid, mussels, mackerel and smoked fish and I would readily make them all again. Delicious.
Just be aware too that the recipes are, for the most part, quite 'English'. Though personally, who would hanker for lemongrass when there are such delights as mussels steamed in cider...

A thorough trawl (12/12 people found this helpful)

The first thing I couldn't help noticing about The River Cottage FISH book is how big and heavy it is - definitely not a book to take on a fishing trip but then that was probably never its intention.

Written by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and the appropriately-named Nick Fisher, they have a clear view of its "nitty gritty". Apart from the "delightful activity of cooking and eating fish", FISH is about understanding the business of catching and preparing them. Once we readers achieve this we will, perforce, get even more pleasure.

Golly, FISH is comprehensive. One of its three sections, Understanding Fish, is divided into Fish as food; Sourcing fish; Fish skills; Shellfish skills. Within these, the authors deal with such diverse topics as Fish as brain food; Five rules for sustainable fish shopping; Fish to find; Fish to avoid; Fish prep kit...... and so on. A thorough trawl.

Recipes are a real catch. Helpfully grouped under such headings as Raw, salted and marinated; Baked and grilled; Fish thrift and standbys (for maximising ingredients and minimising waste) they cleverly organise you into deciding what - and how - you might want to cook. They're also extremely alluring - Simon Wheeler's photos see to that - and make you want to rush out, buy (from a sustainable source naturally) and cook. Roll on summer for a burst of Roasted whole plaice with cherry tomatoes. Meanwhile let's be content with FoodLovers featured recipes Crab Bread & Butter Pudding or Drunken Smollack Toasts - a fishy version of Welsh rarebit.

hugh is a natural (9/13 people found this helpful)

hugh fern is a natural presenter and chef. This book is a bible for cooking a great fish dish. The detail is amazing, but very straightforward.
This book wont gather dust, thats for sure!

The best fish cookery books are written by fishermen.. (40/41 people found this helpful)

...and fishmongers. My favourite fish cookery books so far have been from Sophie Grigson and William Black, Philip Diamond, Mitchell Tonks and Alan Davidson. All really know their fish because they get out there and catch them, or deal with fresh fish for a living. Now Hugh and Nick join that select band of my favourite fishy authors for the same reason - they know and love fish, from the bottom of the sea to the plate. They write informatively, humorously and passionately, and the reader can't help wanting to pick up a rod or net and get involved. Don't expect fussy recipes: these are best cooked in a farmhouse kitchen or a fishing boat galley, and eaten with your fingers. But they will taste fabulous. Don't expect too many recipes for boring old cod or salmon either, as Hugh and Nick explore nearly all British edible species that swim or crawl. This is a big book, and hugely readable. The authors are both very passionate about sustainable fishing, and offer useful tips to help conserve the more pressurised species, and provide every reason to try alternatives that are right on our doorstep. Buy this book, you will not regret it.

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