Most health services and dieticians around the world would suggest that we don’t have enough fish in our diets. The NHS recommend that we increase our intake of fish and shellfish to at least two portions a week, including at least one of oily fish, such as sardines or salmon. This is because fish and shellfish are a great source of vitamins and minerals, and oily fish is particularly high in omega-3 fatty acids which can help keep your heart healthy.
In our household we eat fish at least once a week, but I must admit that we don’t eat enough oily fish, although we both like sardines and mackerel, so this is something we will look at. I like all fish, but my partner is less keen, saying that she doesn’t like fish that “tastes like fish”! The biggest problem we have with fish is how to cook it. One memorable time I made a fish stew, following the recipe carefully, only for us to both get food poisoning and being laid up in bed for a week. It scared me somewhat.
After this ‘episode’, I now only buy frozen fish and put it in the oven to cook, so yes, I definitely need help when cooking fish. The following fish and seafood recipe books are those that I have thought about buying and I think will help my fish cooking no end. They are all highly rated and offer the reader lots of information of different types of fish and how to cook them in a myriad of mouthwatering ways. I hope that these books help you cook fish too – and to expand your menu at home, which I’m sure could do with having more fish in it!
Fifteen Fabulous Fish and Seafood Cookbooks
Here are some of the best fish, shellfish and seafood cookbooks that I have found on Amazon UK. I have tried to include a variety of cooking styles here – from resturant style dishes to snack bites and everything in between. In this list of fish cookbooks I have not included sushi cookbooks as I feel that this would require an entire article in itself as there are so many cookery books available on this exciting type of food.
Some of the cookbooks here only have recipes whilst others also include fishing and cooking stories, or information on fish and fishing.
Rick Stein Cookbooks
You can’t talk about fish or seafood cooking without mentioning Rick Stein. He has published over 25 books and has appeared in countless TV shows. He creates fantastic recipes from fresh, local ingredients, and is known predominantly for his fish dishes and his love of the sea. Below you will find most of his fish and seafood cookery books, but I have also included a couple of his travel & cookery books as they are such a good read and full of interesting cultural insights.
Pescatarian Cookbooks
If you didn’t know, a pescatarian is a person who doesn’t eat meat but does eat fish. Because fish is packed with vitamins and minerals, and is also a major source of omega-3 fatty acids, the pescatarian diet has some great health benefits. Although fish is often praised for its benefical properties against heart disease, the oils in fish are also helpful to fight cancers, ease depression, relieve arthritis, and they’re also good for your skin. If you are a pescatarian, here are just three books (of many) that may offer you some exciting new recipe ideas.
