Simply Fish – 75 Modern and Delicious Recipes for Sustainable Seafood by Matthew Dolan

I spoke at length with American Chef Matthew Dolan about his cookbook, and learned that he is a graduate of the prestigious culinary school, The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, and the owner of the award-winning restaurant, Twenty Five Lusk, which he opened in 2010, and the more casual restaurant, Tap 415, which opened in 2014, both located in San Francisco, California.

Born in Connecticut, he went to High School in the United Kingdom, and traveled extensively. He brings domestic and international culinary experience to the culinary table honing his craft for several years at top restaurants in New York City including Café des Artistes, before heading off to The Culinary Institute of America to focus on savory cooking to enhance his prior knowledge, worked with Emeril Lagasse, (before Emeril’s television days) in New Orleans, Louisiana, at an Italian restaurant in Napa Valley, California, in Nantucket, Massachusetts, did stages in Spain and France, and went to Finland to open a restaurant, which garnered a prestigious Michelin star after its first anniversary. He returned to the States in 2005, and opened his own restaurant in 2010.

Chef Matthew Dolan

What I love about the cookbook, which is wonderful, is Chef Matthew’s approach in that it provides all the essentials – what to look for when purchasing seafood, questions to ask the fishmonger, what tools you need to cook fish, step-by-step instructions, suggestions on what to drink with each recipe, and even includes dessert recipes, because man (and woman) cannot live on fish alone. However, it is more than just a great cookbook with humorous stories and 75 inspired recipes with mouth-watering stunning photographs by the talented Anne-Claire Thieulon, Chef Matthew’s wife, its focus is on seafood sustainability, a hot topic in the environmental arena. It is educational without being "preachy."

With an eye to the future, both Chef Matthew Dolan’s, and Anne-Claire Thieulon’s, an active environmentalist, businesses are green, and the restaurant, Twenty Five Lusk is a Monterey Bay Aquarium certified restaurant and a San Francisco Bay Area Sustainable Seafood Alliance restaurant partner. When speaking with Chef Matthew he said that the inspiration for the cookbook was his two children, as he wanted to do something to protect their future food heritage by educating people about making sustainable food choices.

Chef Matthew Dolan graciously shares two delectable recipes from the cookbook, Simply Fish – 75 Modern and Delicious Recipes for Sustainable Seafood, to intrigue your palate into reading the cookbook.

Recipes copyright ©2017 by Matthew Dolan. Photographs copyright © 2017 by Anne-Claire Thieulon.

Reprinted with permission from Skyhorse Publishing, Inc., Matthew Dolan, and Anne-Claire Thieulon.

Simply Fish – 75 Modern and Delicious Recipes for Sustainable Seafood by Matthew Dolan

Tuna Sashimi with green apple salsa, mint leaves, toasted sesame, and mustard seed oil

Serves 4

What to drink

· Gewürztraminer

· Bandol Rosé

· Kölsch

· Pisco Sour

What to ask the fish guy

Ask if the they have #1 or #1+ grade tuna. #2+ is fine but usually has more waste. Make sure it is handline caught. Hawaiian longline and free school are reasonable second choices, but avoid the troll-caught stuff. Ask them to remove the skin and bloodline for you, as well. This will leave you with a ready-to-dice product. If they are not too busy and you seem to be getting along, you could even ask that they slice it sashimi style. I bet a gift of beautiful beer might make this deal more attractive to our friend behind the counter … just sayin’.

Method

In a mixing bowl, combine the diced apple, red onion, lime juice, lime zest, sesame oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set this salsa aside for later. Slice the tuna as thinly as possible.

Plating

Arrange the tuna slices on plates as you wish. This is a great appetizer, but it can also be served as a shared item, family style, or on a buffet. Place the apple salsa around the tuna. Scatter some mint leaves, drizzle a bit of mustard seed oil, and sprinkle the tuna with a touch of salt and sesame seeds. Serve as cold as possible.

Grilled Prawn Salad with mango, Napa Cabbage, mint, basil, cucumber, and coconut vinaigrette

Serves 4

coconut vinaigrette

grilled prawn salad with mango, Napa Cabbage, mint, basil, and cucumber

What to drink

· Gewürztraminer

· Viognier

· Lager

· Mango daiquiri

What to ask the fish guy

Make sure you are buying wild gulf prawns from the Gulf of Mexico, preferably skim-net caught. Buy the peeled and deveined product. I love the 16/20 sizing. If you can find it, the U/9’s are great (this means that less than 9 make up one pound). Avoid the farm-raised product from Asia. The methods are questionable and flavor is not nearly as delicious.

Method: coconut vinaigrette

In a blender, combine the coconut milk, lime juice, lime zest, vinegar, olive oil, mustard, cayenne pepper, ground coriander, and a pinch of salt. Reserve for later.

Method: grilled prawn salad with mango, Napa cabbage, mint, basil, and cucumber

Start the grill on its highest heat. Scrape and brush it well, and generously oil it; this should always be done before and after each use. Toss the prawns in the cooking oil, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Place prawns on the grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Place on a platter and allow to cool at room temperature. Now, in a mixing bowl add the cabbage, mango, cucumber. Basil, mint, and cilantro. Generously mix with the vinaigrette, and reserve some for plating.

Plating

Place the dressed salad on a plate, and place the prawns on top. Drizzle a bit of the remaining vinaigrette over the prawns and around the salad, and serve.

Simply Fish – 75 Modern and Delicious Recipes for Sustainable Seafood by Matthew Dolan is published by Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. and is available as a hardcover and as an eBook. ISBN: 9781510717503. $24.99.

Simply Fish in bookstores and online, including: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Target.

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