Synopses & Reviews
In any discussion of New York City landmark restaurants, the Grand Central Oyster Bar and Restaurant stands in a class by itself. From its unique position in the Terminaland#8217;s lower level, with the famous and#147;Whispering Galleryand#8221; at its entrance, waiters have been serving up platters of the freshest seafood for a century.
Here are more than 100 of the restaurantand#8217;s classic recipesand#151;some dating back to its opening in 1913and#151;along with behind-the-scenes stories, historical anecdotes, and a wealth of expert information on buying, cooking, and serving fish. An oceanand#8217;s worth of delicious eating is provided: from raw bar and seafood buffet favorites, to stews and chowders, to fish dishes fried, broiled, and grilled. Featured throughout are vintage images and ephemera, along with sumptuous food photography. Part history, part souvenir, The Grand Central Oyster Bar and Restaurant Cookbook is a must-have for visitors and New Yorkers alike.
Praise for The Grand Central Oyster Bar and Restaurant Cookbook:
and#147;A big, handsome book full of wonderful photographs, nostalgic tales and enticing recipesand#151;some dating back to the restaurantand#8217;s opening 100 years ago . . . you will appreciate the no nonsense instructions for buying, cooking and serving seafood.and#8221; and#151;Miami Herald
and#147;Helps uncertain home cooks navigate the world of clams, crabs, shrimp, and more. Starting with a very simple yet comprehensive oyster list (including source, flavor, and size) and then delving into recipes for a Maryland Crab Cake Sandwich, a Manhattan Clam Chowder, and Dover Sole Meuniere, the cookbook tackles it all, and provides helpful tips and loving historic tidbits throughout.and#8221;and#151;Epicurious.com
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Synopsis
The complete guide to buying, cooking, and enjoying seafood--with more than 200 recipes--from the restaurant that knows it best.
Legal Sea Foods's motto is, "If it isn't fresh, it isn't Legal," and the company has built its stellar reputation on serving only the freshest and safest fish. The Legal Sea Foods restaurant opened in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1968, and the business has since expanded to include twenty-six restaurants in seven states along the Eastern Seaboard as well as a mail-order company. In 1998, Bon App tit named it one of ten classic American restaurants.
Featuring the innovative recipes that have been added to Legal's menu during the past fifteen years (since the first Legal Sea Foods Cookbook was published), this new cookbook covers not only the traditional gold standards (Smoked Bluefish Pat , Clam Chowder) but also contemporary dishes such as Crabmeat with Morel Mushrooms, Spicy Fried Grouper with Jalape o Mayonnaise, and Bluefish in Kale and Tomato Sauce. Regional specialties, such as Hog Snapper Pepe (from the Boca Raton branch) and Baltimore Crab Cakes, are also included.
In addition to the vast selection of main dishes, there are appetizers (Spicy Crab Cakes, Smoky Mackerel Spread, Mussels au Gratin), salads (Shrimp Tabbouleh, Crabmeat and Mango Salad, Lobster and Israeli Couscous Salad), pasta and rice dishes (Linguine with Littlenecks; Salmon with Asparagus and Ravioli; Risotto with Shrimp, Celery, and Peppers), soups and sandwiches (Shellfish Gumbo, Fish Chowder, Grilled Swordfish Tacos), vegetables and side dishes (Speckled Butter Bean Casserole, Onion Strings, Chipotle Sweet Potato Mash), and desserts (Key Lime Pie, Blueberry and Peach Crumble, Mango and Strawberry Shortcake).
The New Legal Sea Foods Cookbook also provides an overview of the full range of fin fish and shellfish (from bass to wolffish, clams to squid) available today and the best cooking techniques for each type--whether it is baking, broiling, frying, poaching, sauteing, grilling, oven-steaming, or microwaving--as well as how to distinguish wild from farm-raised fish. There is complete advice on how to tell if fish is fresh, how to store it once you bring it home, how to prepare it, and how to make safe and delicious use of the leftovers. Much more than a cookbook, this is the ultimate sourcebook from America's seafood specialists.
About the Author
ROGER BERKOWITZ, president and CEO of Legal Sea Foods since 1992, started working in his familys fish market at the age of ten. He frequently offers his expert opinion on the fishing industry on network news segments (CNN,
CBS News “Eye on America,”
NBC Nightly News), has given culinary advice and demonstrations on the
Today Show and
Good Morning America, and lectures widely. He and his wife, Lynne, live in Newton, Massachusetts.
JANE DOERFER coauthored the previous Legal Sea Foods Cookbook with George Berkowitz. She is the author of several cookbooks, including Going Solo in the Kitchen.
EDWARD KOREN is a regular contributor to The New Yorker and has illustrated a number of books, including A Dogs Life and How to Eat Like a Child. He lives in Vermont.