From the Publisher

In Simply Shellfish seafood expert and acclaimed cookbook author Leslie Pendleton offers up 125 recipes for shrimp, crab, scallops, clams, mussels, oysters, lobster, and squid. All the dishes are fresh, healthful, and a (sea) breeze to prepare.

Shellfish is a near perfect food: packed with good-for-you protein, low in fat and calories, and exceeding quick and easy to prepare. Not to mention flavor—it's doesn't get much better than creamy clam chowder, tender crab cakes, or succulent lobster rolls. In Simply Shellfish Leslie Pendleton shares her best recipes for these favorites. There's Roasted Shrimp on Asparagus Skewers with Brie, Curried Coconut Scallops, Mussels Steamed in Carrot Ginger Broth, and BLLTs (bacon, lobster, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches). Unlike fish fillets or whole fish, shellfish requires minimal prep time and can be on the table in minutes.

Leslie's recipes are at once sophisticated and approachable, with supermarket-friendly ingredients, easy instructions, and outstanding results.

Publishers Weekly

Considered to be a delicacy and historically given distinctive regional and ethnic treatments, shellfish, according to Pendleton (Simply Shrimp, Salmon and (Fish) Steaks), can be quickly and easily prepared for a variety of satisfying, healthy meals. The former Gourmet editor offers recipes for main and side dishes, selection and preparation tips, and meal planning ideas. The more than 100 recipes feature the most common shellfish and can be made in less than an hour, with some preparation done ahead of time. For most of the recipes, shellfish type can vary, depending on taste and market availability. Soups, stews, appetizers, main courses and sides-Pendleton covers all of the bases for every taste: traditional (Clam Chowder, Gumbo, Crab Cakes); adventurous (Blackened Scallops with Grapefruit Sour Cream Sauce); international (Curried Coconut Scallops); and shellfish avoiders (Shrimp, Feta and Golden Onion Pizza). Readers familiar with Pendleton's many cookbooks will recognize her eclectic approach; drawing from her large repertoire, she offers less experienced chefs "simple" dishes that will garner enthusiastic reviews from satisfied diners. The much publicized health benefits of seafood are icing on the cake, but photographs of the dishes would've made the book even sweeter. (Mar.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

The subtitle basically says it all. In the follow-up to her Simply Shrimp, Salmon, and (Fish) Steaks, Pendleton offers uncomplicated recipes using our favorite shellfish (no cuttlefish here). A few are not so quick, and some of these dishes are found in many other fish cookbooks, but shellfish lovers will find some new recipes to tempt them. For larger collections. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Product Details

• Read an Excerpt

Read an Excerpt

Simply Shellfish

HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

This multipurpose shrimp spread can be used as a dip with vegetables and crackers, a spread for bagels or tea sandwiches, or a filling for cherry tomatoes or cucumber slices. Try different fresh herbs to create your own variation.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound peeled shrimp, rock
shrimp, or crawfish tails
2 tablespoons butter
1 garlic clove, chopped
3 ounces cream cheese
1/3 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Instructions:

In a small skillet, cook the shrimp in the butter over medium-high heat, stirring, for 1 to 3 minutes, or until just cooked through. Transfer the shrimp and juices to a food processor.

Add the remaining ingredients and blend to form a coarse paste. (Do not process until smooth.) Transfer the spread to a medium bowl, stir in salt and pepper to taste, and chill, covered, for at least 1 hour.

The spread keeps, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

If you serve this to guests do not tell them how easy it is -- you want them to be impressed! Just smile. Crusty bread and Eggless Caesar Salad (page 188) are a must.

Ingredients:

3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
Two 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes with jalapenos
1 cup whole, pitted black California olives
Two 1 1/4-pound live Maine lobsters
1/2 pound linguine or spaghetti
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon, basil, or parsley

Instructions:

In a pot large enough to hold the lobsters, cook the garlic in the oil over moderate heat until it begins to turn golden. Add the tomatoes and olives, and bring to a boil. Add the lobsters, cover tightly, and cook them at a gentle boil for 15 minutes. Transfer the lobsters to a cutting board.

In a pot of boiling salted water, boil the linguine until just tender and drain well. Add the pasta to the tomato sauce and toss well.

Split the lobster tails, remove and slice the meat. Divide the pasta among plates and top with the lobster meat. Crack the lobster claws and knuckles, and divide them among the plates. Sprinkle each dish with some of the tarragon. Serve immediately.

Continues...

---

Excerpted from Simply Shellfish by Leslie Pendleton Copyright © 2006 by Leslie Pendleton. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

---