My nuclear family was not a tinned fish family aside from the ubiquitous canned tuna fish. My mom grew up on the Gulf Coast of Texas and loved fishing and crabbing, so we frequently had fresh fish on the table for dinner. It wasn’t until I got to grad school that I met people who bought tinned fish other than tuna. I enjoyed it, but I didn’t really know what to do with it on my own. I was attracted to The Fishwife Cookbook by its colorful and happy cover. I am somewhat intimidated by tinned fish. I’ve enjoyed it when it’s been presented to me, but I’m never sure I’ll actually like it and I know I can’t eat a whole tin by myself. The thought of leftover tinned fish in my fridge does not appeal.
I liked The Fishwife Cookbook. It did the thing that I needed it to do. It gave me a wide range of recipes, plus a few guides on how to enjoy tinned fish without a recipe. It has given me the courage to strike out on my own in the world of preparing tinned fish. Having the company cookbook also made me more willing to spend the money on a few of their products. My favorite are the smoked salmons – original and with chili crisp. I really enjoyed the smoked salmon dip. It was quick, easy, and went well with veggies and potato chips. With a glass of crisp white wine, it made a nice dinner for one, and the leftovers held up well the next day. The smoked salmon with chili crisp isn’t terribly spicy, but it has a nice funk that paired well with rice and veggies for a rice bowl. The crispy potatoes on herbed yogurt with pickled onions and smoked trout was very tasty with my preferred combination of crunchy, creamy, funky and bright. The tonnato though, is the most likely to become a staple. It’s rich and unctuous, pairing well with roast veggies.
I really enjoyed exploring an area of food that I wasn’t familiar with. The cookbook is out in February.
I received this as an advance reader copy from William Morrow and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.