Product Description

Ralph Brennan's New Orleans Seafood Cookbook is the definitive guide to New Orleans seafood cooking, including a comprehensive seafood cook's manual, 170 recipes featuring classic and contemporary seafood preparations, 143 color photographs, and a comprehensive ingredients source guide.

Created by the perfect storm of culinary talent - restaurateur Ralph Brennan, prolific food writer Gene Bourg and storied photographer Kerri McCaffety - Ralph Brennan's New Orleans Seafood Cookbook demystifies seafood cooking with detailed, triple-tested recipes that really work. Whether you're a novice or an expert, you'll find recipes to delight you, from the short and simple (Barbecue Shrimp, Grilled Redfish "on the Half-Shell", Crawfish Spring Rolls with Roasted Corn Relish & Chile-Garlic Sauce), to the delectably complex (Crawfish Bisque, Crabmeat Lasagna with Crab-&-Chanterelle Butter Sauce).

Illustrated step-by-step instructions for handling, storing and preparing raw seafood products, a guide to pairing seafood with wine, and a bonus section with substitutions, tips and special instructions to ensure recipes come out right and delicious, every time--it's all here in one luscious volume.

Four years in the making, the majesty of New Orleans seafood cooking is now accessible and available to every home cook, thanks to Ralph Brennan's New Orleans Seafood Cookbook.

"Despite a gastronomy based so largely on local seafood, New Orleans has never had a comprehensive book on the subject --until now. Ralph Brennan, one of the city's finest restaurateurs, and Kerri McCaffety, one of America's great photographers, have combined their efforts to produce a book on Louisiana seafood that is not just authoritative and mouthwatering but exceptionally beautiful." --JOHN MARIANI, Esquire Magazine, author of The Encyclopedia of American Food

"A MASTERPIECE! Ralph Brennan and his culinary team have written a truly eloquent, educational and historical cookbook on seafood and New Orleans cuisine! The recipes and the photography are exceptional. Ralph is a true New Orleanian who has a deep passion for great food and unwavering devotion to the Crescent City." --PAUL PRUDHOMME, Chef and Owner, K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen and Magic Seasoning Blends

"I was delighted to see my dear friend Ralph Brennan's New Orleans Seafood Cookbook, with recipes from his extraordinary chefs at his legendary restaurants. Ralph's years of mentorship shine through in this beautiful book as he expertly guides us through the techniques and flavors of New Orleans seafood. This book is a must for every seafood lover!" --JOAN NATHAN, Cookbook Author and two-time James Beard Award Winner

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #687024 in Books
• Published on: 2008-04-09
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 430 pages

From the Inside Flap
The perfect storm of Louisiana talent--restaurateur Ralph Brennan and his five talented chefs, veteran editor Gene Bourg, award-winning photographer Kerri McCaffety, and experienced recipe tester Paulette Rittenberg--makes landfall with the arrival of Ralph Brennan's New Orleans Seafood Cookbook.

Ralph Brennan's New Orleans Seafood Cookbook is your definitive guide to New Orleans seafood cooking, including a comprehensive seafood cook's manual and 150 recipes featuring classic and contemporary seafood preparations.

Ralph Brennan's New Orleans Seafood Cookbook demystifies seafood cooking with detailed, triple-tested recipes that really work. Whether you're a novice or an expert, you'll find recipes to delight you, from the short and simple to the delectably complex.

Illustrated step-by-step instructions for handling, storing and preparing raw seafood products, a guide to pairing seafood with wine, and a bonus section with substitutions, tips and special instructions to ensure recipes come out right and delicious, every time --it's all here in one luscious volume.

The majesty of New Orleans seafood cooking is now accessible and available to every home cook, thanks to Ralph Brennan's New Orleans Seafood Cookbook.

From the Back Cover
"Despite a gastronomy based so largely on local seafood, New Orleans has never had a comprehensive book on the subject --until now. Ralph Brennan, one of the city's finest restaurateurs, and Kerri McCaffety, one of America's great photographers, have combined their efforts to produce a book on Louisiana seafood that is not just authoritative and mouthwatering but exceptionally beautiful." --JOHN MARIANI, Esquire Magazine, author of The Encyclopedia of American Food

"A MASTERPIECE! Ralph Brennan and his culinary team have written a truly eloquent, educational and historical cookbook on seafood and New Orleans cuisine! The recipes and the photography are exceptional. Ralph is a true New Orleanian who has a deep passion for great food and unwavering devotion to the Crescent City." --PAUL PRUDHOMME, Chef and Owner, K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen and Magic Seasoning Blends

"I was delighted to see my dear friend Ralph Brennan's New Orleans Seafood Cookbook, with recipes from his extraordinary chefs at his legendary restaurants. Ralph's years of mentorship shine through in this beautiful book as he expertly guides us through the techniques and flavors of New Orleans seafood. This book is a must for every seafood lover!" --JOAN NATHAN, Cookbook Author and two-time James Beard Award Winner

About the Author
RALPH BRENNAN is a third-generation restaurateur who owns and operates Ralph's on the Park, Red Fish Grill, and BACCO in New Oleans and Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen®in the Downtown Disney® District at the Disneyland® Resort.

Always a friend of business and hospitality, Ralph has served as president and chairman of the National Restaurant Association, Louisiana Restaurant Association, New Orleans Restaurant Association, Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Convention Center, New Orleans Business Council and Children's Hospital of New Orleans.

The Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group earned a national Employer of Choice Award from the Education Foundation of the National Restaurant Association and has been named "One of the Best Places to Work" in New Orleans by CityBusiness Magazine for five consecutive years.

GENE BOURG was The Times-Picayune's restaurant reviewer and columnist for nine years. His writing also has appeared in Gourmet, Food & Wine, Saveur, Travel & Leisure and other food and travel magazines. He received a National Magazine Award, given by the American Society of Magazine Editors and Columbia University's School of Journalism, for a 1994 Saveur article on the food culture of Louisiana's Acadians.

KERRI McCAFFETY has photographed ten books, five of which she also wrote. A winner in the renowned Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism competition and a recipient of four national publishing awards, her works have been deemed "pillars of Louisiana's cultural record." While documenting New Orleans' cultural, culinary and cocktail history, reviewers called her "stunningly skilled," "a photographic genius," and "the reigning queen of New Orleans color photography."

Customer Reviews

Magnifique!
New Orleans, it's famous for its seafood. And do you want that great New Orleans taste in your own home? Then this is the book for you! Author Ralph Brennan is a third-generation restauranteur, who owns three New Orleans restaurants, so he definitely knows what he is talking about.

OK, you've never heard of him? You don't care about the man, only the recipes? Then let's get down to brass tacks. This book is crammed full of excellent recipes. Each recipe begins with an introduction, and then continues on with the ingredients, step-by-step directions, advance steps (if necessary), and special equipment. The book itself is large, which means that it lays flat on the counter, and its ample spacing means that the instructions stay distinct from each other - so, it is easy for the amateur cook (such as myself) to go back and forth between the book and the food.

And here is where the rubber really hits the road - so far we have made three recipes from this book Crab Cakes with Ravigote Sauce (page 56), Shrimp Bisque (page 118), and Dark Chocolate Cake with Hot Fudge Sauce (page 292), and they were all magnifique! Yes, this is a great book, one that we are very glad to add to our kitchen library. I give this book my highest recommendations. If you want too cook up some great New Orleans seafood, then get this book!

Terrific seafood cookbook
I can often tell how good a cookbook is by seeing how many small bookmarks my wife places among the recipes. Between bits of newspaper coupons and paper napkins, or whatever else was at hand, the top of my review copy of Ralph Brennan's New Orleans Seafood Cookbook has become a veritable forest. The recipes actually come from Brennan's restaurants. Given the extended family into which he was born - New Orleans restaurant royalty, with members owning a number of major names in that city's eating establishments - there is little surprise that he went into the business.

The beginning of the book has a "manual" for how to select, store, and handle various types of fish and seafood. I would have liked to see a bit more - for example, not just filleting a whole fish, but also gutting and cleaning it. However, even in the section on fin fish, there was a tip I had never heard for telling if a fish is done. Insert the tip of a knife into the thickest part of a fillet. Then put the tip against the inside of your wrist. If it feels hot, then it's done. And there's plenty of other useful information, like an explanation of the difference among different types of crab meat and crabs.

The recipes look fabulous: crab cakes with ravigote sauce, chilled smoked scallops with tomato-and-onion marmalade (making your own stove top smoker is in a tips appendix), oyster and artichoke bisque, baked catfish with sweet potato scales and andouille sauce, shrimp and spinach cannelloni with champagne butter sauce. This is upscale fish cookery.

Oddly enough, my eyebrows frowned when I came upon the dessert, side dish, and drinks sections. Heaven knows I love dessert, and there are some terrific recipes in here, and I've also been known to tuck into side dishes and even take the occasional drink (including a rum-based milk punch during a "Breakfast at Brennan's" at the famous restaurant owned by some of his kin). But there are so many general and even restaurant cookbooks, I found myself wishing that they had just concentrated on the fish alone, expanding those sections even more (not that they are skimpy by any means). But that's just me; my wife happily bookmarked through the rest of the pages as well.

It's a hefty $45, but you get a hefty amount of hardback for the money. It could make a great gift, whether for someone else or yourself.

Crab and Shrimp Cobb Salad Pleases All!!!
As a college student and definitely not a professional chef I try to find recipes that are easy but delicious. I am helping my mom cook dinner this summer and am trying to find a recipe that appeals to my health conscious parents and my hungry football playing younger brother. Last night for dinner I decided to make the Crab and Shrimp Cobb Salad with Remoulade Sauce from Ralph Brennan's New Orleans Seafood Cookbook. It looked delicious and healthy but the several pages of instructions seemed like a daunting undertaking. However, I was determined to create this dish and impress my family. After reading all the steps and beginning my preparation I realized that the three pages of instruction were not because the recipe was difficult but instead were detailed steps to instill confidence in the chef that they were preparing the dish correctly. The oohs and aahhs from my family as I brought out the salad encouraged me to try more recipes from the Cookbook and my mom was so impressed she started taking pictures of the salad. The Crab and Shrimp Cobb Salad was such a hit that I know I will look in the Ralph Brennan New Orleans Seafood Cookbook for another recipe. In fact, I have already scoped out the crabmeat lasagna with crab-&-chanterelle butter sauce for the next time my mom needs help with dinner.