Reading Seafood Simple is a bit like watching Citizen Kane or the middle section of 2001 - the classic dishes inside have been riffed on, parodied, and imitated so many times that elements that were once groundbreaking feel a bit trite and conventional, but seeing the elements in the hands of a master is still astonishing. Eric Ripert has been the chef at Le Bernadine for so long that his innovation have been copied throughout the fine-dining scene and have trickled down to the mid-range restaurants. His hamachi crudo or tuna tartar can be found on menus around the world, some good, some bad. Now, his version can be served in homes - at least ones that have an exceptionally good local fishmonger, given the focus on quality fish and the penchant for raw, barely seasoned dishes. It's clear that Ripert is writing from the perspective of a restaurant chef - plating the food ina pleasing way is a major focus, and no one who has to do the dishes is going to use as many pans as he suggests. Nonetheless, the cookbook is lovely and interesting. The croque monsiour with smoked salmon instead of ham is addictive and delightful, and the classic recipes will delight traditionalists.

This fish cookbook covers all the ways to cook fish--from raw, steamed, poached, fried, baked, and more styles of preparations. There are a lot of French-style dishes, but also plenty of other types, including curry sauces, the classic miso cod, and even lobster spring rolls. Seafood Simple is a great cookbook for someone who wants to dive deeper into fish dishes, and get a good variety of dishes. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the published for this digital review copy!

Okay, I was SO happy to get approved for this one! I am always looking for new cookbooks to add to my repertoire, especially as we are heading into Lent and, even past that, going into the warmer seasons where I can whip out our grill and some skewers to grill up some seafood! Seafood Simple is simply that, it's simple, and thankfully more of you lovely readers and cooks can experience this beauty on October 3, 2023.