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Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
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The River Cottage Fish Book Paperback – 4 Jan. 2011

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 217 ratings
See all formats and editions

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.


With a new introduction from Hugh, The River Cottage Fish Book is the only book on fish that the adventurous fish lover will ever need.

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  1. Print length
    608 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Bloomsbury Publishing
  4. Publication date
    4 Jan. 2011
  5. Dimensions
    19.3 x 4.09 x 24.13 cm
  6. ISBN-10
    1408814293
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1408814291
  8. See all details
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Product description

Book Description

The award-winning and definitive guide to fish, fishing and fish cooking in a new paperback format

About the Author

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is a writer, broadcaster and campaigner. His recent BBC One series Easy Ways to Live Well, alongside comedian Steph McGovern, looked inwardly at our perceptions of healthy eating and wellbeing. Hugh's Channel 4 series have earned him a huge popular following, while his River Cottage books have collected multiple awards including the Glenfiddich Trophy and the André Simon Food Book of the Year. Hugh's additional broadcasting, like the hugely influential Fish Fight, has earned him a BAFTA as well as awards from Radio 4, Observer and the Guild of Food Writers. Hugh lives in Devon with his family.

@hughfearnleywhittingstall / @rivercottage / rivercottage.net

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bloomsbury Publishing (4 Jan. 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 608 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1408814293
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1408814291
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 19.3 x 4.09 x 24.13 cm
  • Customer reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 217 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is a multi-award-winning writer and broadcaster known for his uncompromising commitment to seasonal, ethically produced food and his concern for the environment. He has earned a huge following through his River Cottage TV series and books, as well as campaigning documentary series such as Hugh’s Fish Fight, Hugh’s War on Waste, Britain’s Fat Fight and War on Plastic with Hugh and Anita. A new River Cottage series, River Cottage Reunited aired in June 2022.

Hugh established River Cottage HQ in Dorset in 2004, and the operation is now based at Park Farm near Axminster in Devon. An organic smallholding, HQ is also the hub for a broad range of courses and events, and home to the River Cottage Cookery School. Hugh continues to teach and host events there on a regular basis. He also oversees the menu and sourcing in the River Cottage Kitchen, the restaurant on site at HQ.

Hugh’s broadcasting has earned him a BAFTA as well as awards from Radio 4, The Observer and the Guild of Food Writers. His award-winning books include The River Cottage Cookbook (2001), which won the Glenfiddich Trophy, the River Cottage Meat Book, which won the Andre Simon Award in the UK as well as the James Beard Award in the US. Hugh’s latest book How to Eat 30 Plants a Week, a Sunday Times bestseller, was published in May 2024.

Hugh continues to work as a journalist, writing occasionally for the Guardian, Times and other national newspapers. He is a vice president of Fauna & Flora International and a patron of Switchback, a charity that helps young offenders find opportunities in the catering industry.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
217 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book informative and interesting, providing a wealth of knowledge on fish and seafood. They appreciate the good, straightforward recipes with manageable ingredients. The visual quality is described as beautiful and well-illustrated, with a well-thought-out layout. Opinions differ on how easy the book is to follow, with some finding it easy to follow and others finding it difficult to use as a cook book due to lack of recipes.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

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Information contentRecipesVisual qualityEase of use
34 customers mention ‘Information content’34 positive0 negative

Customers find the book informative and interesting. It provides a wealth of knowledge about fish and seafood available around the British Isles. The recipes are diverse and easy to follow. The book is comprehensive and useful for anyone interested in cooking with fish. It's also a good resource for fishermen or those involved in the fishing industry.

"...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..." Read more

"...There is a section on different types of fish and their various merits and of course there are lots and lots of excellent recipes...." Read more

"...Fish' the authors lead you through how to source and prepare fish and shellfish, and then go on to demonstrate, over 300 pages, the various ways in..." Read more

"...This is a book for all fisherman, fish eaters an fish farmers to cherish." Read more

29 customers mention ‘Recipes’29 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's recipes and find it has a good mix of information and cooking techniques. They mention it covers everything from choosing, preparing, and cooking fish and shellfish. The book is recommended for regular cooks, as there is a fantastic choice of seafood in Devon.

"...and Nick Fisher have for fish is then shown through the wonderful recipes that are offered for every type of fish and shell fish...." Read more

"...and their various merits and of course there are lots and lots of excellent recipes. I bought this 2nd hand and it was a snip." Read more

"...authoritative, beautifully illustrated amd written, and full of lovely recipes...." Read more

"...the main marine an fresh water species both there biology and cooking techniques as well as a large number of great recipes...." Read more

8 customers mention ‘Visual quality’8 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's visual quality. They find the pictures and recipes well-illustrated, with an appealing layout. The layout and descriptions of fish make the book feel inviting.

"...It is comprehensive, authoritative, beautifully illustrated amd written, and full of lovely recipes...." Read more

"...The photos are good and informative and the layout is well thought out...." Read more

"...The photographs and descriptions of the fish as well as the recipe ideas make me want to try even more fish dishes. I am in raptures!!" Read more

"...Not tried any recipe's just yet, but looks good!" Read more

8 customers mention ‘Ease of use’4 positive4 negative

Customers have different views on the book's ease of use. Some find it easy to follow with plenty of recipes and technical information, while others find it difficult to use as a cook book due to lack of recipes.

"...Great recipes, great instruction." Read more

"...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..." Read more

"The cookbook is easy to follow and well put together. The book is full of interesting and diverse recipes which are not complicated to follow...." Read more

"Expected something totally different, a huge book but not that many recipes, lots of general information about fish, the recipes that are in it do..." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • J. Milton
    5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 April 2009
    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.
    14 people found this helpful
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  • Miranda M
    5.0 out of 5 stars All you will ever need about fish
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 January 2023
    Verified Purchase
    This is a huge book and tells you all you will ever need to know about choosing, preparing and cooking fish and shellfish. There is everything from killing and dressing crabs and lobsters to killing and filleting line caught fish. There is a section on different types of fish and their various merits and of course there are lots and lots of excellent recipes. I bought this 2nd hand and it was a snip.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Stokey Sue
    4.0 out of 5 stars Nice book shame about the index
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 November 2008
    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).
    81 people found this helpful
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  • RST
    5.0 out of 5 stars Splendid book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 February 2010
    Verified Purchase
    This book is a 'must' for anyone who likes cooking and eating fish. It is comprehensive, authoritative, beautifully illustrated amd written, and full of lovely recipes. Starting off with a section on 'Understanding Fish' the authors lead you through how to source and prepare fish and shellfish, and then go on to demonstrate, over 300 pages, the various ways in which they can be cooked or smoked. In the last section they provide a detailed and fascinating guide to both saltwater and freshwater fish, cross-referenced to the recipe sections earlier on. The book is rounded off with a useful directory and an excellent index. Given its scope it's not surprising that it's a large and fairly heavy book - but don't let those details put you off. 'The River Cottage Fish Book' is a joy - buy it: you won't be disappointed.
    RST
    4 people found this helpful
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  • D. BREWER
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another great book from Hugh
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 December 2011
    Verified Purchase
    Although I don't agree with everything in this book (some of the comments regarding aquaculture are incorrect) this is a fantastic book about fish. The photos are good and informative and the layout is well thought out. There are sections on all the main marine an fresh water species both there biology and cooking techniques as well as a large number of great recipes. This is a book for all fisherman, fish eaters an fish farmers to cherish.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Mullen
    5.0 out of 5 stars Educational
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 January 2025
    Eyebrow-raising.
    Helpful
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  • Lynn
    3.0 out of 5 stars Not good quality
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 January 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Book arrived promptly, outside cover was good condition but pages totally stuck together inside the book. It was being given as a present for someone who had asked for the book, i don’t think I would buy a used book online again.
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  • Kirstine
    5.0 out of 5 stars A splendid book of reference
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 October 2008
    Verified Purchase
    This is a major work of reference for anyone interested in fish cookery and sustainable fish buying. Everything you need to know about buying, gutting, filleting and cooking of every kind of fish and shellfish is dealt with and even how to kill fish and shellfish if you get them live.

    I find the information about the best times of year to buy all the different species of fish and shellfish very useful. There are also lists of fish suppliers, including those who do mail-order for those who do not have easy access to good quality fish.
    10 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Heather P.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Love fish. This book is for you.
    Reviewed in the United States on 26 August 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Oh, Mr H. F-W - please come and live with me. This book is so wonderful. Lots of recipes, but so much more than recipes. A book that gave me a healthy appreciation of fish and how to enjoy catching a cooking them. Thank you!
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  • Diana James
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on 5 February 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Excellent and all embracing: from how to catch (or purchase), kill and cook your fish!
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