Moonen is a fish guy, having served as chef-owner of two seafood temples in New York City. In this new book, he shares his expertise—from how to shop for fish to how to clean it and how to cook it. The cleaning, scaling and filleting pages are particularly good, with clear instructions and excellent photos that leave little room for doubt. Moonen, with coauthor Finamore (Tasty
), covers everything from American classics like Manhattan Clam Chowder to modern dishes such as Creamy Fennel Soup with Salmon and Citrus Ragu. What separates this book from others is its focus on sustainability. Moonen is a founding member of Seafood Choices Alliance and an early advocate for chefs making responsible choices when it comes to seafood. The first chapter contains a list of each fish in the book, the best way to cook it and the state of its population. There are no endangered fish on the list (or in the book), because, as Moonen explains in his introduction, “I'm holding off for the time when I can feel confident that these populations are strong again.” For a chef whose current venture is a 16,000-square-foot restaurant in Las Vegas, this kind of restraint might seem surprising, but given the dramatic collapse of seafood populations, Moonen is a welcome and essential voice in the home chef's kitchen. (May 21)
