Rick Stein's Seafood

Book excerpt: Over the years, through his television programs and books, Rick Stein has done much to inform us about fish and to encourage us to cook it for ourselves, however, many of us still feel nervous about cooking it at home. Rick Stein's Seafood, now available in paperback, brings together his knowledge and expertise, and includes 200 of his tried-and-tested recipes. It is divided into three separate sections: Techniques; Recipes; and, finally, an A to Z of Fish. The techniques section covers all the main preparation and cooking methods for each type of fish (round, flat, shellfish etc.), while the A-Z of fish is a comprehensive encyclopedia of fish and seafood including US, Australian, and European fish. The recipe section includes all the essential basic recipes, such as stocks, sauces, batters etc. Useful cross references link all sections. The hardback edition has been an international bestseller and was awarded the highly coveted James Beard Foundation Cookbook of the Year Award in 2005.