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.
 Trade In this Item for up to £0.85
Trade in The River Cottage Fish Book for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £0.85, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Special Offer until June 30, 2013: Receive an additional £5 promotional Gift Card, when you trade-in at least £10 worth of books. Learn more
|
Book Description
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Review
Simply the best and most comprehensive work on the subject I have read... a well-illustrated compendium to British fish, it is a great reference book and a good read. -- Spectator
Does for marine life what his Meat Book did for our four-legged and feathered friends... with dozens of fine recipes. -- Financial Times
From rustling up your own sashimi to delicious chip-shop battered cod, there is an inspiring chapter on British fish and recipes galore. -- Metro
Great for fans and with lots of recipes.
-- Daily Mail
I wish the words `definitive' and `authoritative' weren;t so overworked, because they really do sum up this wonderful, entertaining book. -- Evening Standard
Does for marine life what his Meat Book did for our four-legged and feathered friends... with dozens of fine recipes. -- Financial Times
From rustling up your own sashimi to delicious chip-shop battered cod, there is an inspiring chapter on British fish and recipes galore. -- Metro
Great for fans and with lots of recipes.
-- Daily Mail
I wish the words `definitive' and `authoritative' weren;t so overworked, because they really do sum up this wonderful, entertaining book. -- Evening Standard
Book Description
The award-winning and definitive guide to fish, fishing and fish cooking
--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
65 of 65 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
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.
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.
50 of 50 people found the following review helpful
By Stokey Sue
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I looked around before I bought this book - I wanted something that had a lot more to it than the fish sections of general cook books, and I really wanted the sections on choosing fish and basic tchniques.
As you can see from the other reviews, it fits the bill very well
However, I mark it down one star because using it as a cook book is actually quite difficult because of the lack of a proper cross-referenced index showing fish types and recipes. What they do is give you a load of recipes, which are listed under the name of a single fish, but may recommend up to about half a dozen other fish that will work.
Suppose you have a beautiful grey mullet. You look it up in the index and find pretty much zilch. So you turn to grey mullet in the fish directory and hidden in the grey box in the margin are some page numbers which contain recipes suitable for using with grey mullet - but no clue whatsoever as to what any of those recipes might be. So you have to turn to each one in turn to discover what they are. By the time you have done this you've spent half an hour finding out that the recipe you fancy needs an ingredient you don't have and the corner shop closed 10 minutes ago.
Wouldn't have been easier just to list in the index all the recipes under the fish to which they can apply ? And entries for fish steaks and fish fillets while you were at it guys - not all of us cook for 6 all the time, and those of us in small households tend to buy our fish dismantled (PS if you read this guys, look at Rose Elliot's Bean Book for an example of an almost perfect ingredient-led index).
As you can see from the other reviews, it fits the bill very well
However, I mark it down one star because using it as a cook book is actually quite difficult because of the lack of a proper cross-referenced index showing fish types and recipes. What they do is give you a load of recipes, which are listed under the name of a single fish, but may recommend up to about half a dozen other fish that will work.
Suppose you have a beautiful grey mullet. You look it up in the index and find pretty much zilch. So you turn to grey mullet in the fish directory and hidden in the grey box in the margin are some page numbers which contain recipes suitable for using with grey mullet - but no clue whatsoever as to what any of those recipes might be. So you have to turn to each one in turn to discover what they are. By the time you have done this you've spent half an hour finding out that the recipe you fancy needs an ingredient you don't have and the corner shop closed 10 minutes ago.
Wouldn't have been easier just to list in the index all the recipes under the fish to which they can apply ? And entries for fish steaks and fish fillets while you were at it guys - not all of us cook for 6 all the time, and those of us in small households tend to buy our fish dismantled (PS if you read this guys, look at Rose Elliot's Bean Book for an example of an almost perfect ingredient-led index).
91 of 92 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
...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.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
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.
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.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By J. Milton
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book will open your mind to the wonders of fish.
The book starts with a detailed section on how to prepare all the seafood that is in the book, from gutting and filleting a fish to dressing a crab.
The passion that Hugh Fearnly-Whittingstall and Nick Fisher have for fish is then shown through the wonderful recipes that are offered for every type of fish and shell fish. Each recipe is straight-forward and the number of ingredients never becomes unmanageable.
Of course, with his River Cottage hat on nothing is left to waste so there is even a section on how to cook the off-cuts and left-overs from your main meals.
After the extensive recipies section there is a wealth of knowledge on each fish and mention of a sustainability rating, e.g. whether you should really be buying the fish in question or not. It really does make you aware of what can be considered ethical and sustainable when eating fish.
A truly wonderful guide to fish that will make you aware of what and when to buy.
The book starts with a detailed section on how to prepare all the seafood that is in the book, from gutting and filleting a fish to dressing a crab.
The passion that Hugh Fearnly-Whittingstall and Nick Fisher have for fish is then shown through the wonderful recipes that are offered for every type of fish and shell fish. Each recipe is straight-forward and the number of ingredients never becomes unmanageable.
Of course, with his River Cottage hat on nothing is left to waste so there is even a section on how to cook the off-cuts and left-overs from your main meals.
After the extensive recipies section there is a wealth of knowledge on each fish and mention of a sustainability rating, e.g. whether you should really be buying the fish in question or not. It really does make you aware of what can be considered ethical and sustainable when eating fish.
A truly wonderful guide to fish that will make you aware of what and when to buy.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see both reviews
4.5 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Fish Book.
The first that advises on the state of each type of fish stock, and which are good to east in which ways.
Published 14 days ago by Wizzco
1.0 out of 5 stars
This book smells fishy to me!
Expected something totally different, a huge book but not that many recipes that dont contain fish! Lots of general information about fish, the recipes that are in it don't really... Read more
Published 23 days ago by tegan tallulah
3.0 out of 5 stars
Book for Fishermen
I was expecting a fish recipe book, rather than a book describing different types of fish and what to buy. Read more
Published 2 months ago by yogamichele
1.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing
Expected something totally different, a huge book but not that many recipes, lots of general information about fish, the recipes that are in it don't really appeal to me at all
Published 2 months ago by Anne-Marie Moore
5.0 out of 5 stars
not just a good cook book
this book is full of more than just recipes, from the do's and don't to the who's what's why's where's and when's of fish. Read more
Published 2 months ago by pete gibson
5.0 out of 5 stars
River cottage fish book
This is an excellent reference book as well as being a good recipe book. My husband and I really enjoy it
Published 3 months ago by Mrs. Maureen L. Watkins
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another Winner
Hugh has got it right again with this one. If you liked River Cottage Meat, then this is also for you. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Kev Bucks
5.0 out of 5 stars
The River Cottage Fish Book
-Well written, comprehensive & great recipes, fascinating information about the fishing industry with lots of help in eating fish 7 shellfish in a sustainable way. Just excellent!
Published 5 months ago by Roger Little
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book - loads of information.
We decided to stick to one range of books so that we didn't end up with a library of cook books in the kitchen. River Cottage recipe books fit the bill nicely. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Peter Tooth
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good service
The product arrived safely and in good condition. As it was a gift I haven't seen it myself but believe it 'looks like it will be a good read' as well as containing some excellent... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Sue Beharrell
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
![[Start the discussion]](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/x-locale/communities/discussion_boards/start-new-discussion-sec._V192198663_.gif){kind=small}
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
