For Cod and Country: Simple. Delicious. Sustainable.

In this debut cookbook, Seaver, creator of three Washington, D.C., restaurants and a fellow with the Blue Ocean Institute, offers a passionate guide to sustainable seafood. He discusses essential ingredients in preparation such as salting (brining figures in his techniques), butter, and citrus, and gives a solid rundown of the particular tools for a fish kitchen, a helpful glossary of terms like "trawling" and "by catch," and a list of the best substitutions for overfished species. Organized by season, the recipes reflect available fish as well as the mood of the time of year. Pacific cod with ginger-braised asparagus, for example, is a spring dish, and mahi mahi with braised brussels sprouts and feta butter makes an appearance in fall. While Seaver's cooking style is self-described as "simple," his flavor combinations are anything but. An oyster risotto is cleverly enriched with butternut squash and cr%C3%A8me fraiche, and grilled sablefish is brightened up with shredded endive and a cherry-tarragon salsa. Throughout, Seaver emphasizes sustainable, underrated species of fish; inventive preparations like crudo with almond oil and raisins, for instance, make mackerel more enticing. (May)