Seafood Simple Reviewed by Ruth Paget
Seafood Simple by Eric Ripert is an all-inclusive reference for all things fish. Ripert begins Seafood Simple with several pages of explanation and photos about how to skin, debone, and fillet different fish body types.
After the preparation technique chapter, Ripert provides recipes organized by cooking method as follows:
-raw, cured, and marinated
-steamed
-poached
-fried
-baked
-sautéed
-broiled
-grilled
-preserved
Some of the recipes I consider outstanding include:
-oysters mignonette – raw oysters on the half shell with a red wine and shallot served on the side for dipping
-halibut en papillote – baked white fish with tomatoes, onions, white wine, and basil that is wrapped in foil
-moules marinères – steamed mussels with shallots and white wine
-halibut mushroom casserole
-linguine vongole – steamed clams with linguine pasta
-salmon and tomato à la Gilbert – poached salmon in tomato and cream sauce
All of these dishes remind me of the food I ate in Parisian bistros when I lived there and are items that I can make in my home now.
Readers who might enjoy Seafood Simple by Eric Ripert include:
-France lovers
-young professionals like accountants and lawyers
-musicians
-artists
-marketing workers
-caterers
-dieters
If you like fish, Seafood Simple by Eric Ripert should be in your kitchen library
(Note: In Salinas, California, you can buy fresh seafood at Star Market and Safeway. Close to Salinas, you can fresh seafood at Phil’s Fish Market in Moss Landing.)
By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France