THE FISH LOVER'S COOKBOOK

The chief drawback of this otherwise unexceptionable fish cookbook is a somewhat capricious organization. Basic techniques and preparations are spread out over two chapters; soups, stuffings, and undervalued fish (e.g., squid) take up three more; and the last half of the book is devoted to the more familiar favorites arranged in alphabetical order by species. The recipes are a huge cosmopolitan assemblage. The Londons are lavish sauciers who never get around to pointing out that most fish tastes best with a little melted butter and/or fresh lemon juice. But for all that they put together some very good preparations--poached cod fillets with onions and hard-boiled eggs; carp-roe and potato pancakes; or marinated and simply broiled shrimp with saffron, shallots, and garlic. The information about preparation techniques, however, is spotty--there are no instructions for basic sautÉing without a flour or crumb coating. There are also odd inconsistencies: salt is avoided but tamari soy sauce is added to things from pie crust to ""Turkist marinade."" The many good recipes can't quite overcome these basic problems of approach.