Creative Coastal Cooking: Recipes from a Dozen Contemporary Maine Restaurants
By Terry Ward Libby
Rockport, Maine: Down East Books
One Fish, Two Fish, Crawfish, Bluefish: The Smithsonian Sustainable Seafood Cookbook
By Dr. Carole C. Baldwin and Julie H. Mounts
Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Books
These two books all involve the cooking of some of Maine’s best products, with all of them taking a very different approach to what to do with that lobster besides just steaming it. One of the books is from Maine, and the other is from the Smithsonian Institution. Both have a strong reverence for food, especially seafood.
The Smithsonian Sustainable Seafood Cookbook, also titled One Fish, Two Fish, Crawfish, Bluefish, has a very simple entry requirement, namely that it deals only with seafood that has been harvested in an ocean-friendly manner not leading to further depredations of the world’s limited marine resources. Sustainable fishing has become a topic of great concern. Many of the world’s fishermen (and fish) have seen a cycle of increasing exploitation of a particular species, with more fishermen getting involved, followed by a decrease in the abundance of the quarry as fishing exceeds natural reproduction, and subsequent ecological collapse of the stock and economic ruin for those who depended upon it. Here in Maine cod, haddock, halibut, urchins, elvers and others have all gone down this road. In the light of the national “Give Swordfish a Break” campaign, and the “Take a Pass on Chilean Sea Bass” effort, it is refreshing to have a volume that outlines that which is environmentally good to eat, rather than just adding to the litany of things that the world-conscious consumer should avoid. Taking all these recommendations together, it seemed herring was about the only fish left untouched by those groups who try to direct our choices, and in fact herring makes an appearance in this volume as well. For a species more commonly known to Mainers only from the bait barrel, it merits three recipes in this book, although all utilize only pickled herring. What I found most interesting about this volume was that it had a substantial and varied list of eco-friendly fish and shellfish, adding recipes for species I might not have tried even if I saw them in the market. Along with the familiar lobster and scallop, I enjoyed reading sections about Hawaiian opah, California farmed white sturgeon, and the southern pompano. While these imports have a slim chance of showing up at my corner fishmonger’s, I found myself sliding a mackerel in for a wahoo recipe, and standing mussels in for Manila clams. Departing a bit from the book, I continue to believe that local seafood is inherently more ecologically friendly, due to its not having to book a first class airline seat from someplace like New Zealand. The recipes themselves are compiled from master chefs all around the country, and do tend a little towards cilantro glazes and arugula, but when one considers the understandable reverence with which the authors approach their fish, this extra care in the ingredients really brings on the mouth watering reaction, and when combined with the excellent hand-done color illustrations, it makes this a great guide for the true fish loving gourmand.
Creative Coastal Cooking: Recipes from a Dozen Contemporary Maine Restaurants and Far East Down East: Maine’s Freshest Foods Spiced with Asia’s Finest Flavors both take a Maine-based view, although, interestingly, both of the authors reside in Massachusetts. The first is a compilation of recipes from a dozen restaurants ranging from Kennebunk to Bar Harbor, with the recipes covering the gamut from grilled salmon with maple glaze to cold cucumber soup. The tie between them all is having at least one Maine component, and for the most part the recipes are approachable. I made the Potato-Crusted Halibut, and found it to be a pleasing combination of well-guided assembly and an interesting and different meal. The book’s no-nonsense approach is seen in the lack of color pictures, having only a few snapshots of signs and chefs, and in thus emphasizing the well crafted, easy to follow recipes. For anyone who is a fan of restaurants like Primo in Rockland or Street and Co. in Portland, this book is a chance to make some of these favorites at home, and would be a good choice for the enthusiastic home cook looking for a little inspiration.