Cook the Book: 'The Young Man and the Sea'

This week's Cook the Book recipes are from The Young Man and the Sea, the cookbook I wrote with Dave Pasternack, the chef-partner of Esca, a southern Italian seafood restaurant in New York City.
Dave knows more about fish and fish cooking than anyone I've ever met. I even caught my first fish, a 20-pound striped bass, with Dave's help. What's great about Dave's recipes is how much passion he brings to his food and how simple the recipes are. All you'll need to cook from The Young Man and the Sea is a good fishmonger, a grill or a fry pan, and a cold beer or a glass of wine. The first of those recipes will be along shortly.
Thanks to the good folks at Artisan House, we are giving away ten (10) copies of the book. Just tell us what your favorite fish or shellfish preparation is here in the comments section and you'll be entered to win. Winners will be chosen at random, and commenting will close at 9 p.m. ET Friday. The usual Serious Eats contest rules apply.
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Comments are closed: 77 Comments:
Fresh dungeness crab with curry butter hopefully just pulled from the puget sound that day
mr_choriro at 3:16PM on 07/09/07
butter poached spot prawns with any spring vegetables and pasta.
dmarina at 3:35PM on 07/09/07
blackened mahi mahi. I can't get enough of it.
Koren at 3:44PM on 07/09/07
Grilled tuna, still with a rare center, with a soy-ginger glaze. I wish I were better at cooking more fish and seafood, that's why I need this book!!!!
Jeana at 3:46PM on 07/09/07
My favorite shellfish prepartion would be boiled with a mixture of herbs and aromatics..
NYBITECLUB at 3:54PM on 07/09/07
nothing beats steamed mussels (any flavored broth) and pomme frittes.
syoung68 at 3:54PM on 07/09/07
Seared tuna with a very rare center. Perfect.
Kerri at 3:55PM on 07/09/07
Steamed Maryland Blue Crabs covered in Old Bay seasoning... :-)
Jperezish at 4:00PM on 07/09/07
The best fish I have ever eaten was at Esca - it was a branzino from Italy that was cooked in a thick sea salt crust. I would love to do it myself someday!
sabrina at 4:01PM on 07/09/07
cedar plank wild salmon on the grill, finished with some good pure mapple syrup.
Abe Froman at 4:06PM on 07/09/07
Sea salt crusted New Zealand pink snapper.
El_Mimbre at 4:10PM on 07/09/07
I love any dish that combines shrimp and mango
pezbabypez at 4:18PM on 07/09/07
I could sound like a line from Forrest Gump here with my answer of "shrimp scampi, fried shimp, shrimp cocktail, coconut shrimp, cajun shrimp, peel-and-eat shrimp, etc. etc. etc!"
bobcatsteph3 at 4:24PM on 07/09/07
Oven roasted whole branzino stuffed with lemon slices, shaved fennel and parsley sprigs.
linda at 4:26PM on 07/09/07
I like many kinds of seafood, but I think my favorite is maguro nigiri sushi -- the tuna and rice are near perfect if done well.
I do have to say, though, that the bacalao at Esca is fantastic.
BerryK at 4:36PM on 07/09/07
Monkfish cooked in parchment.
aklectic at 4:56PM on 07/09/07
I love a combination of fish and shellfish. This one is called Moqueca Capixaba, a Brazilian stew:
http://www.writingwithmymouthfull.com/2007/05/07/cod-and-shrimp-stew-recipe/
ext212 at 5:00PM on 07/09/07
Whatever the freshest seafood you can find on hand, with minimal addition, pan-seared or grilled. I like the fish to speak for itself.
Living in the middle of the country, super-fresh is a rare treat - I only get truly fresh stuff when visiting friends on the coasts or fishing trips up to Canada.
corycm at 5:09PM on 07/09/07
Pan-fried oysters, sprinkled ever so slightly with minced parsely and a spray of lemon.
The best part: they're just as the next morning, cold, out of the refrigerator
GregWA at 5:23PM on 07/09/07
Any kind is great for me, but especially mussels in broth with minced shallots, parsley and a little tomato confit.
TP at 5:23PM on 07/09/07
bbq'd oysters hot off the grill from tony's in tomales bay, ca
cararn at 5:33PM on 07/09/07
mussels is a tempting way to go, but i have to stick with broiled prawns: first brined, then flashed under the broiler with loads of lemon and garlic.
ren at 5:47PM on 07/09/07
Hmmmm, hard to pick just one. Clams every way--steamed with butter, grilled, or with linguine and lots of garlic. Then of course there are shrimp . . .
ride&cook at 6:04PM on 07/09/07
Pan fried brook trout. Just a quick dip in cornmeal, and just salt and pepper for seasoning.
hdaemon at 6:35PM on 07/09/07
All time favorite? It's have to be a large mouth bass (freshwater), stuffed with some fresh herbs (a little parsley, maybe tarragon and chives) and butter, then baked in a salt crust (simply kosher salt and some egg white). Ive got to go fishing....
hreisig at 6:38PM on 07/09/07
Steamed fish heads with chilis, ginger and scallions
BC at 6:54PM on 07/09/07
Halibut fillet, about three quarters of a pound, placed skin down on sheet of parchment paper, which was drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled generously with rock salt, and a bed of fresh herbs such as sage and marjoram.
Then stack some tomato concassé and chopped shallots and garlic on top, drizzle a little bit more oil, squeeze out half a lemon, grind some black pepper, sprinkle a little fresh thyme.
Fold up the edges to make a sealed pouch. Just before sealing, pour in a tiny bit of the white wine you have chilled and ready for the meal.
Seal it up nice and tight, put in in a brown paper lunch bag, put that on a cookie sheet and into your preheated 425 degree oven.
Fifteen minutes later, take it out, unwrap it on a big plate, pour the wine and dig in! Goes great with a crusty bread, rich butter and stinky cheeses, with some black olives.
seyo at 7:40PM on 07/09/07
pan seared scallops with cilantro sauce. perfect and summery!
monicabg at 7:43PM on 07/09/07
Definitely a fan of shrimp in mojo criollo...I have a recipe that I tweaked and I love the fact that it works well served hot or at room temp.
Curlz at 7:46PM on 07/09/07
ceviche with pico de gallo added to it (so, fish+tomato+onion+jalapeno+cilantro+lots of lime juice+salt) with tostadas
anado at 7:53PM on 07/09/07
Sorry to repeat, but without a doubt seared tuna with a spiced crust - cumin and cracked pepper anyone?
Phil W. at 9:11PM on 07/09/07
Lately I've found myself cooking a lot of trout. One of my favorite ways to cook it is to roast it in a hot grill or oven, stuffed with aromatics. The skin gets crispy, and the meat is permeated slightly by the flavors of the stuffing.
Nicholas H at 9:43PM on 07/09/07
I can't think of a better way to enjoy salmon than marinating it in a great tangy mango sauce and then cooking it on the grill during the summer, served with a fresh green salad and wine....grilling fish in the summer is one of the highlights of summer in the midwest!
Teri at 10:52PM on 07/09/07
I go to a couple restaurants where I trust the kitchen to produce excellent fish every time. The preparations usually let the fish shine with little if any fuss.
Since that's not a very satisfying answer.. How about salt baked shrimp?
stu_spivac at 11:55PM on 07/09/07
Blackened Amberjack...love it and cant get enough of it.
Shrimp...any way I can get 'em!
Erinay77 at 12:00AM on 07/10/07
Grilled baby squid sauteed quickly in olive oil, then sprinkled with nam plah, some Thai basil and LOTS of freshly ground black pepper. Tentacles....mmmmmmmm!
stareater at 7:33AM on 07/10/07
fried soft-shell crab
hedgehog at 10:13AM on 07/10/07
I'm a sucker for a good fried oyster sandwich.
iheartveggies at 10:31AM on 07/10/07
Blackened Red Fish freshly caught from Mosquito Lagoon (cape canaveral, fl).
jkiller5150 at 10:47AM on 07/10/07
a nice bowl of spaghetti with clams, if possible vongole veraci. Can't beat the purity of flavors.
jasonmolinari at 11:22AM on 07/10/07
Grilled tuna, though pan fried rainbow trout my boyfriend and grandfather catch ice fishing one or twice a year is a very, very close second. (Especially as he guts, cleans and scales the things!)
Peasantwench at 11:39AM on 07/10/07
I recently came up with a recipe for skate wing, which I think is terribly underrated. I make rice with lobster stock and keep it soupy enough to braise the skate wing for a few mintues. Really delicious!
Tom Steele at 12:02PM on 07/10/07
Seared scallops over wild mushroom risotto--Yum!
Mo t at 12:04PM on 07/10/07
Shrimp and mussels are the best ! Steamed mussels in white wine and grilled shrimp with lemon!
margot at 1:59PM on 07/10/07
whole salt-grilled corvina. Mmmm mm!
bpm2000 at 2:43PM on 07/10/07
catfish. pan-fried.
but since that is farmed and freshwater, how about flounder.
intheyearofthepig at 3:02PM on 07/10/07
mussels in white wine or pretty much anything in parchment
Josh Baugher at 5:20PM on 07/10/07
bare naked ice cold Chincoteague oysters--does that count as a preparation?
eqsachs at 6:15PM on 07/10/07
I want to try the Sicilian Style Swordfish...seems so full of flavor and hopefully will add some of that juiciness that you lose when you cook swordfish!
danica at 8:51PM on 07/10/07
I love, love, love a good chowder. Anything from Jasper White's 50 Chowders works for me. Raw oysters, whole crispy fried red snapper with black bean sauce... oh, really I love all seafood.
Habeas Brulee at 9:28PM on 07/10/07
Fennel and onion slices braised together with chicken stock, lemon juice, and fresh rosemary, then nice and soft, topped with tilapia fillets, and covered till the braising liquid steams the fish. So, so, so, so good. Every time I make it, I'm told it's the best thing I make.
Deanna at 10:39PM on 07/10/07
I also love seared tuna with sesame seeds, tamari, and wasabi. But whenever I think of the best fish that I ever ate, it was humble and really cheap bluefish that my family bought fresh on a dock in Cape Cod while on vacation. We fried it up in the hotel room - it tasted amazing in the spirit of vacation.
Littlebluesiren at 12:40AM on 07/11/07
My favorite seafood preperation is raw. If I am cooking, a mirin-soy-wasabe glazed tuna that has been seared for a nanosecond.
damnlamb at 8:44AM on 07/11/07
Scallops seared to perfection on wood fire grill, simply seasoned with salt and pepper. Topped with a mango, tomatillo and fresno pepper salsa.
spanklin at 11:39AM on 07/11/07
bacalao salad
Lou at 1:50PM on 07/11/07
fresh oysters with a classic mignonette.
dylinw at 2:38PM on 07/11/07
My favorite fish preparation is probably bluefish, pan seared with the skin on one side in tact. You have to crisp the skin by running a knife along the scales gently and then patting with a paper towel beforehand and your fish will come out crispy and delicious!
clumsycook at 3:12PM on 07/11/07
Boiled Louisiana blue crabs are my absolute favorite. Done just right with a nice spicy seasoning blend and I like to dip the meat in some melted butter. Nothing is more perfect.
malenky at 5:32PM on 07/11/07
Clams and monkfish in a chorizo broth with grilled bread. Had a similar dish at Hungry Cat, couldn't stop ordering it, and then Russ Parsons published a recipe in the L.A. Times, now I can't stop making it!
LA_Eater at 6:36PM on 07/11/07
Mussels with butter and garlic... a huge bowl of it and a soft pile of bread.
fsmchang at 10:11PM on 07/11/07
Fresh whole anchovies floured, fried crisp in olive oil, and lightly salted - with crusty bread and ouzo shooters chased by very cold beer.
Outos at 11:13PM on 07/11/07
My favorite is something a friend of mine has done for me. He takes tuna or mahi mahi and marinates it in a ginger based sauce and then sears it until it's just barely cooked in the middle.
xalexx at 9:48AM on 07/12/07
Pan-fried southern catfish filets. Properly seasoned and breaded with cornmeal/bread crumbs makes this a real taste pleaser. I drive to a small place in Pascagoula, MS for this meal as it is truly worth it.
msbooch75 at 2:34PM on 07/12/07
Tuna ceviche in a mixed-greens salad, with panko sprinkles on top! I'm still fantasizing about the restaurant that served me that.
Keely at 4:34PM on 07/12/07
I like fresh mountain trout caught earlier that day, wrapped in foil with fresh herbs, lemon & butter & thrown onto the hot coals of a campfire. I also love cod breaded with crushed saltine crackers & fried in light oil.
gwenpentland at 5:04PM on 07/12/07
cockles!
j at 5:42PM on 07/12/07
Oysters, oysters, oysters, fried in a po' boy or raw.
dikaryon at 6:30PM on 07/12/07
blue crabs in Korean miso stew
bluebird at 7:53PM on 07/12/07
simple. fresh fish coated in a little flour spiced with a little tony's creole seasoning and then pan sauteed in butter.
cbw at 8:06PM on 07/12/07
spicy marinated raw blue crabs, korean style, made by my grandmother.
skim at 10:41PM on 07/12/07
Cedar-planked Copper River salmon. Mmmm.
jinkies at 12:55AM on 07/13/07
there is nothing as good as a Frogmore Stew! fresh shrimp right off the boat cooked up with corn on the cob, sausage and old bay seasoning! just dump it out on the table and dig in mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
iguanablue at 6:27AM on 07/13/07
nothing makes me happier than an AYCE steamed crab leg night. two hours of trying to get the perfect shell-crack, so i can pull out the perfect piece of meat. mmm!!!
britmill at 9:50AM on 07/13/07
Rainbow trout you just caught wrapped in foil with some salt and lemon and cooked over your campfire. For breakfast.
ScienceMike at 12:47PM on 07/13/07
i love just plain old boiled lobster. sooo tasty
missmicker at 6:53PM on 07/13/07
drunken mussels.
2lbs mussels
diced tomatoes
capers
basil
rosemary
onions
garlic
shallots
entire bottle of white wine
throw it all together and enjoy. have another couple bottles of wine to wash it all down.
steept at 7:32PM on 07/13/07
Large fresh sweet scallops in brown buter.
elysek at 9:35PM on 07/15/07