Young Man and the Sea: Recipes and Crispy Fish Tales from Esca

This is sure to be one of all time favourite cookbooks. Very engagingly and clearly written and really good recipes. Must go to Esca on my next trip to NY!

Isn't there a paragraph of the Scriptures that goes like this : "Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, teach him how to cook it and he'll eat it everyday"? Well if it's not written that way it's because 'The Young Man and the Sea' wasn't published at the time! If you are lucky to live in New York and have visited Esca then you know this restaurant is the real thing. The secret of it's greatness is pristine fish, fresh produce and simple but flawless technique, there is no better chef or teacher than David Pasternack when it comes to our slimy friends... you should see the picture where they wiggle in terror as he approach the fishnet. Just follow one of his simple step by step recipes and you'll never go back to your old ways of cooking fish. Guaranteed. This is a "must have"!

Can someone from Artisan Books or Mr. Pasternack please post the corrected recipe for "Scallops with Sauteed Spinach and Roasted Parsnips" (pgs. 216/217) here? The description stays: "This dish is one of those seasonal bits of perfection that can't be improved upon. I love what the orange does to the parsnips -- namely, brings a little sweet acidity and zesty flavor to them." Mmmm... I'm sure I'd love it too. Unfortunately, there's no mention whatever of orange in the recipe. Not in the scallop recipe, or the recipe for Roasted Parsnips that follows on the next page. Not in the list of ingredients, nor in the directions. That quibble aside, the book is gorgeous and the recipes original, well thought-out and fresh. It's given me a renewed desire to buy and cook more fish - especially those outside my usual repertoire and comfort zone. But please, give your readers the Roasted Parsnip recipe -- with the orange included this time!

I've visited Dave's restaurant, Esca, many times over and have never been disappointed. He does amazing things with seafood...especially with foods which I would never think of eating raw. I've always wondered how he does such masterful dishes and this book gives me that insight, and it's so simple. I can't wait to start serving crudo to my guests!