Pacific Fresh: Great Recipes from the West Coast

Ease of preparation and a focus on few, but fresh, ingredients mark the 250-plus recipes in this accessible, inviting collection from the Oregonian author of the What's for Dinner? series. Aimed at the family cook, these recipes are conventionally arranged, from party starters (Brandied Brie), soups (Pacific Fresh Seafood Chowder) and salads (Layered Dungeness Crab Salad) through sweets (Coconut Bars Ana). The special dressings, sauces or other accompaniments called for with many dishes are generally printed on facing pages: Cucumber Sauce to go with grilled Columbia River Salmon, Black Bean Salsa to serve with Mexican Pot Roast. Fish and seafood get their due (Sole-Spinach Bundles; baked Oysters Gourmet), and vegetables receive a substantial nod. Meats, especially grilled, receive considerable attention, while the versatility of chicken is demonstrated in a broad range of dishes (among them, fajitas, stir-fry and tandoori), as seems fitting for a fairly traditional, family-fare cookbook like this one. (June)