The Pacific Northwest Seafood Cookbook: Salmon, Crab, Oysters, and More

From Coho and sockeye to Dungeness and Kumamoto

For thousands of years, the abundance of fish and shellfish in the Pacific Northwest created a seafood paradise for the Indigenous peoples hunting and gathering along the region’s pristine waterways, and, later, for the Chinese, Scandinavian, Filipino, and Japanese immigrants (along with many others), who have made this region home. Drawing on these diverse influences, the region fostered a cuisine that is as varied as its people, yet which remains specifically Northwestern.

Here, food writer Naomi Tomky leads readers through an exploration of this cuisine. She starts with the basics of buying great-tasting and sustainable seafood, surveys the variety of seafood on offer―from stars like halibut and oysters to unsung heroes like lingcod and smelt―and shares 75 delicious recipes reflecting the people who live in the region today, including Red Curry Mussels, IPA-Battered Cod, Dungeness Crab Deviled Eggs, and Pink Scallop Ceviche.

From the first cut of salmon, prized for its rich flavor and versatility, to the last crack of the sweet Dungeness crab, Tomky covers grilling, curing, and baking, and shares secrets for tricky tasks like removing pin bones and mussel beards. She explains how flavor-packed spot prawns put other shrimp to shame and why the region’s razor clams are unparalleled. For curious seafood rookies in search of the perfect fool-proof salmon and barnacled fish-cooking veterans looking for a new way to enjoy their favorite catch, The Pacific Northwest Seafood Cookbook is a must-have guide to cooking, and eating, the region.

Including recipes from Tom Douglas, Shiro Kashiba, Bonnie Morales, Mutsuko Soma, Ethan Stowell, Jason Stratton, John Sundstrom, and more.

"Naomi’s book is as beautiful as it is essential. Anyone interested in exploring the bounty of the Northwest’s many rivers, lakes, estuaries and, of course, the Pacific Ocean, should absolutely start here. Beyond the painstakingly thorough and intriguing recipes, The Pacific Northwest Seafood Cookbook is packed with reference material that is an absolute must for novice and professional cooks alike."
― Bonnie Morales, chef and co-owner, Kachka, Portland, and author of Kachka: A Return to Russian Cooking

"Eat Wild to Save Wild is shorthand for the importance of building an economy around our precious wild salmon and other PNW seafood. Ready for the next step? Seattle’s ‘homegrown’ author Naomi Tomky is eager to show you how to perfectly and deliciously Cook Wild."
― Tom Douglas, chef and owner, Tom Douglas Seattle Kitchen

"As a born-and-bred Atlantic Coaster, the seafood of the Pacific Northwest had always mystified me. The Pacific Northwest Seafood Cookbook, packed with recipes and useful tips, perfectly captures the saltwater through line between the region’s diverse cultural influences, both old and modern, all written with the ease and insight of a Seattle native."
― J. Kenji López-Alt, author of The Food Lab

"Naomi does a wonderful job of showcasing the bounty of stellar seafood found in the Pacific Northwest and sharing the culture and food of our region."
― Ethan Stowell, chef and owner, Ethan Stowell Restaurants, Seattle

Naomi Tomky writes about food and travel for Saveur, Fodor’s, The Atlantic’s CityLab, Vogue, Food & Wine, and other publications, and her writing appears in Lucky Peach All About Eggs and the 2017 Best American Food Writing anthology. She lives in Seattle, Washington.