One Fish, Two Fish, Crawfish, Bluefish: The Smithsonian Sustainable Seafood Cookbook 
Earth's oceans were once thought to be inexhaustible sources of food, but we now know that they cannot sustain the demands we are placing on them. Overfishing has led to the depletion of once abundant fish and shellfish species. Yet seafood is a healthy and desirable choice in our diets. So what is an ecologically conscious, seafood-loving cook to do?
Carole C. Baldwin and Julie H. Mounts have solved the dilemma. Rather than suggest avoiding consumption of seafood for conservation purposes, they present an array of U.S. seafood species to choose from that are fished or farmed in an ecologically sound manner. Furthermore, they have assembled delicious recipes from America's top chefs based on these species: try Alice Waters's Dungeness Crab Salad with Meyer Lemon, Endive, and Watercress; Mario Batali's Atlantic Mackerel in Scapece with Lemon Thyme and Sweet Peppers; or Sautéed Soft-Shell Crabs on Asparagus from Jacques Pepin.
By diversifying our seafood consumption, we can lessen the demand for problematic species and distribute the burden among a broad spectrum of well-managed stocksand still prepare delicious meals. Beautifully illustrated with 25 color illustrations by Charlotte Knox.
Reviews
Combine this with beautiful color illustrations by Charlotte Knox and this is one to get, use and give.
How about the likes of: Maine Diver Scallops in Chardonnary Sauce; Panfried Soft-Shell Crabs with a Ragout of Spring Vegetables; Lobster with Ginger and Scallions; Winter Squash Bisque with Lobster; Paprika Prawns with Tequila-Lime Mango; Pan Roasted White Sturgeon, Warm Lentil Salad and Pinot Noir Glaze; Salmon Steaks Braised in Grape Juice with Whipped Red Potatoes with Horseradish; Rainbow Trout with Balsamic Syrup and Honey-Citrus Vinagerette; Wood Grilled Louisiana Pompano with Mango Slaw.
You've got the like of an all-star lineup of chefs including Charlie Trooter, Ming Tsai, Rick Bayless, Julia Child, Thomas Keller, Eric Ripert, and many more. This is exceptionally packed well done seafood bonanza that will not let the interested home gourmet down, unless one isn't truly into serious seafood cooking or no access to fresh seafood.
The info on sustainable seafood and sources plus glossary is necessary and most useful contribution.
Each chapter is devoted to a certain type of fish such as crab, basses and perch, prawns and shrimp as well as a host of species I had never heard of. Within each chapter is a "how to shop for" guide, cooking methods, and other common names the fish might go by in your local grocery store. Then you've got some great sounding recipes from numerous well-respected chefs. While some of the recipes look a little more complicated than I'm used to, most look easy enough to pull-off at home wihtout buying loads of special ingredients. I like how they throw in a comprehensive glossary to help out with all the cooking terminology. Really, the only downside is the lack of photos. While the illustrations are good, I personally like to see what a finished dish looks like.
The environmental info is easy to read -- not at all preachy (which is refreshing) and the issues section is helpful in understanding what overfishing is all about. I had no idea that up to 100 pounds of by-catch can be discarded for every pound of targeted seafood caught. The authors numbers are really eye-opening.
As far as I can tell, this is the only book on the market that combines the issue of sustainable seafood with actual recipes. Seeing so many great chefs come together for this cause is heartening and I definitely recommend this book for any seafood lover.
