Gamba – A Seafood Cookbook.
Cook books from Scottish chefs are currently somewhat of a rarity – only a handful have been released in the past few years. The latest being an impressive book – Gamba – ‘A Seafood Cookbook’ by Derek Marshall, Chef Patron of Glasgow’s top seafood restaurant, Gamba.
The award winning, two AA rosette restaurant has remained popular with diners since it opened in 1998 and the new book reflects Derek’s passion for cooking with sustainable Scottish seafood.
The recipes capture the Gamba ethos – ‘Using fresh, well sourced fish and seafood makes it easy to create a wonderful meal, ‘and the book represents the best of Gamba with the recipes showcasing dishes featuring fish and seafood that are perfect for simple suppers as well as special occasions.
It’s a book for anyone interested in cooking seafood and it’s one you’ll reach for time and time again. “All the recipes are essentially quite simple because my philosophy in the kitchen has always been to let the ingredients do the talking,” explains Derek. “Many can be found on our menus in Gamba while others are brand new and yet to be featured,” Each recipe calls for fresh, seasonal ingredients and Is easy to make at home in your own kitchen.”
Recipes
In addition to chapters on starters and mains, the book offers hints and tips on how to get the best out of great ingredients as well as providing foolproof methods for preparing essential recipe components such as stock and salad dressing.
The recipes for Gamba’s famous Fish Soup – known as ‘Foup is featured along with one of Derek’s long time favourites, Whole Lemon Sole Meunière a classic Gamba dish that has graced the menu since the day he restaurant opened.
Gamba’s famous fish soup – Foup
Whole Lemon Sole Meuniere
Tempting and mouthwatering starters include
Sardine Pate, Sundried Tomato, lemon and Tartare
Tartare of Seabass, Goats Cheese,Sesame, Chives, Red Pepper & Caviar
Lobster, Smoked Salmon & Mango Salad, Smoked Caviar
Gamba is all about sustainability and recipes for main dishes include widely available seafood favourites including halibut, monkfish, hake, cod and john dory.
Roast Shetland Cod, Lobster, Asparagus, Bitter Orange & Thyme.
King Prawn & Scallop Kebabs, Crispy Seaweed, Spiced Garlic & Lemon Dressing
Of course no cook book would be complete without a chapter on stunning desserts, and the Gamba Cookbook excels with favourites like, Gamba’s Bitter Chocolate Tart and Liquorice Creme Brûlée. And cooks who like to cook with a glass of something to hand will be impressed with the the recipes for a selection of Gamba’s Signature Cocktails.
Liquorice Creme Brulee
“It’s been a labour of love collating all the recipes for this book,” says Derek. “Customers often ask us for advice on cooking fish and seafood, and ‘Gamba – A Seafood Cookbook’ shows them that cooking our delicious recipes at home isn’t complicated if you choose your ingredients well and cook them simply. Scotland has some of the best produce in the world and I hope my new cookbook goes some way to showcasing the fruits of the sea.”
And a final word from Derek, “A simple twist on a traditional recipe can turn something good into something great.”
‘Gamba – A Seafood Cookbook’, priced at £25, is Derek Marshall’s second cookbook. Copies are available now directly from the restaurant.
Thanks to Derek Marshall for providing the copy of ‘Gamba – A Seafood Cookbook for Review.
Image Credits
Mark K Seater, Simple Photography, Glasgow.
www.simplephotography.co.uk