Recomended recipe books

[Alison]

I suppose one of the best resources of recipes are books, so I guess everyone has their favorits So post them here
I've always been a fan of Indian cooking and to me the best author of Indian cookery books is Madhur Jaffrey, I have found that almost without exception that her recipes work and are seriously tasty and the best of her books in my mind is "[ame="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0764156497/ref=pd_bxgy_text_1/103-9917012-3564628?v=glance&s=books&st=*"]Indian Cooking[/ame]" None of your [size=-1]restaurant type curries here but authentic food that would be found in many a sub continent meal. The Biryani is to die for
[/size]

 

[SurfnSpear]

[ame="http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/3829059035/qid=1126617869/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i2_xgl/202-0474850-3751826"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/3829059035/qid=1126617869/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i2_xgl/202-0474850-3751826[/ame]

Taking the reader on a travelogue as well as a gastronomic tour, it’s a book to read, cook from, browse and treasure. My favourite cookbook!

Regards

 

[octopus]

Would DeeperBlue have legal problems due to the following link?
http://rapidshare.de/files/8861838/Oliver.doc.html

 

[Mr. X]

I borrowed a copy of Floyd on Fish ...haven't tried any recipes yet but it has very good information on cleaning & preparing fish, shellfish, crab, lobster,...which is the critical bit!

 

[Oldsarge]

I have an impressive number of rarely used cookbooks. These days I tend to cook "from the hip" as it were. Fish cookbooks, IMO, lack imagination. They act as though most fish tastes the same, even we know better, and give a series of recipes for "white fish" and a few others. I've gotten better recipes in fora like this one than I have from books.

 

[Freediver81]

These days you are able to find any recipe on the net!

Said

p.s. Its nice to see a thread by Alison up again!

 

[dave]

"North atlantic seafood" and Mediteranean Seafood" both by Alan Davidson. mediteranean seafood has a quote from Auberon Waugh on the back cover "possibly the best book ever written on this (or any other) subject"
Both books cover ingredients in detail, then give authentic regional recipes (very little in the way of quantities, more ideas and proportions) and lots of background info
cheers
dave
www.spearo.co.uk
www.c-ski.co.uk

 

[Mr. X]

Re: Recommended recipe books

...These days I tend to cook "from the hip" as it were. Fish cookbooks, IMO, lack imagination. They act as though most fish tastes the same, even we know better, and give a series of recipes for "white fish" and a few others. ...

Yes, that is what I tend to do too...& just use what is available. A lot of recipes are probably great to flavour some bland white fish from the supermarket -- but overpowering for a good, freshly caught fish. The Floyd book is good on cleaning & preparation...which you can figure out for yourself easily enough -- but its good to be sure that you kept all the good bits & got rid of the unpleasant and dangerous bits. There are some common themes though e.g. somebody suggested leaks with scallops ..and they do go surprisingly well...and if you search the web, there are a lot of recipes based around that combination.

 

[flyflicker]

Also try Rex Hunt's website - for those in the UK just substitute all the exotic fish in the recipes with bass! http://www.rexhunt.com.au/recipes/
FISH STEAKS WITH SLOW ROASTED GARLIC TOMATOES although a simple recipe is amazing
Yibbida Yibbida Folks

 

[Mr. X]

Re: Recommended recipe books

Those recipes do look good. It would make a great menu for a seafood restaurant.

Steamed Red Snapper with Ginger caught my eye. I had a great Red Snapper once, I think while living on the East coast of the UK -- one of the best fish I ever tasted; I grilled it & sprinkled it with dried ginger powder (I never had cook books in those days) - so it is good to see somebody else using a similar combination. I tried to make it again several times but it never tasted as good -- somebody it the states told me that more than 30 species of fish that get called "red snapper" over there, so maybe I just got lucky that first time?

I tend to avoid steam & poaching though as I am always worried that it will break down the flavour & texture. I like strong tasting fish like mackeral & sardines (& anchovies in moderation) -- not everybody does. I almost always grill or fry -- must try BBQ sometime.

 

[Mr. X]

Re: Recommended recipe books

"...mediteranean seafood has a quote from Auberon Waugh on the back cover "possibly the best book ever written on this (or any other) subject"

Must be good -- or at the least well written -- Auberon Waugh was normally pretty acerbic:
'Looking back…at all the people I have insulted, I am mildly surprised that I am still allowed to exist.' - Auberon Waugh

 

[Spam]

These days you are able to find any recipe on the net!

Said

p.s. Its nice to see a thread by Alison up again!

There's something nice about a hard copy of a book dont you think though? I just hate having to move the computer into the kitchen or having reams of printed bits of paper covered in gravy splashes in no form of order laying around the house.

 

[island_sands]

There's something nice about a hard copy of a book dont you think though? I just hate having to move the computer into the kitchen or having reams of printed bits of paper covered in gravy splashes in no form of order laying around the house.

yes! i love having all my cookbooks on the shelf in the kitchen. and they are filled with snippets from magazines, printouts from the net and stolen menus from restaurants rofl

 

[Oldsarge]

yes! i love having all my cookbooks on the shelf in the kitchen. and they are filled with snippets from magazines, printouts from the net and stolen menus from restaurants rofl

rofl rofl rofl
I have an entire folder on my hard drive for recipes that I've been sent, stolen, invented or acquired by accident. You ever get to California, Sara, c'mon by and we'll cookandeat ourselves into oblivion. Whaddaway to go!

 

[naiad]

Re: Recommended recipe books

I like strong tasting fish like mackeral & sardines (& anchovies in moderation) -- not everybody does. I almost always grill or fry -- must try BBQ sometime.

I like all kinds of fish, but my all-time favourite is mackerel. It is very good in lemon and pepper breadcrumbs. (I buy it from the supermarket )

 

[Mr. X]

Re: Recommended recipe books

I like all kinds of fish, but my all-time favourite is mackerel. It is very good in lemon and pepper breadcrumbs. (I buy it from the supermarket )

Must try that. Mackeral is probably my favourite fish too. They seem smaller these days & the flavour & texture varies. I was fortunate to catch some fresh last year with a borrowed handline from Chesil beach (freak conditions - the water was boiling with fish). I usually just grill them with the bones in. I hear they BBQ well.

I only say probably, because I have tried some new fish this last year which were very good and I hope to try some more this year. Fresh Bass, which seems to be the king of fish as far as the UK is concerned - perfect texture & taste although rather posh for everyday fare. I had an excellent lemon sole in a seafood restaurant in Cornwall, which I expect to be bland but was absolutely delicious. Tried scallops for the first time too, very pleasant. Wrasse too (underrated). I occasionally get sardines from the fishmonger too -- saw them grilling them on the beach in Portugal several years ago, wonderful!

I am hoping Miles or Dr. Fish will post Tuna recipes sometime. I doubt if my (tinned) "tuna surprise" would measure up to fresh Yellow Fin Tuna! rofl (Any chance they could vacuum pack it & send some over I wonder?).