cover image Shellfish

Shellfish

Leif Mannerstrom. Firefly Books, $34.95 (255pp) ISBN 978-1-55407-516-4

No matter which crustacean floats your boat, the first collection from Swedish chef Mannerström will give you plenty of options among more than 200 recipes. Though there's no organization, just one recipe after another (abutted by beautiful full-color photos and occasional commentary), an index-like table of contents helpfully arranges recipes by main ingredient. Classics like paella, bouillabaisse and mussels with pomme frites are the exceptions to Mannerström's inventive rule, exploiting a bounty of local and regional fare with recipes for Norway lobsters, sea urchin, whelks and cockles. Tasty riffs like stir-fried mussels in a dill and béchamel sauce cradled in a crepe, a rich oyster pie with bacon and cheese, and an omelet with curried crab should awaken tired palates, while more involved fare such as Mousseline of scallop, lobster with truffle and Norway lobster sauce, and a Cassoulet of lobster, veal sweetbreads and tarragon sauce offer new challenges for experienced cooks. Though its appeal may be limited due to a decidedly European feel and an emphasis on ingredients not easily sourced on U.S. shores, seafood lovers looking for inspiration should find many new ideas and flavor combinations.