Throwing fish

Anyone who has been to Seattle's bustling Pike Place Market has probably seen the Fish Guys, boisterous men who "throw (and catch!) a lot of salmon," and who "give a lot of hugs (and) mug for a lot of snapshots..."

Tourist attractions to be sure, these fan favorites describe the work fishmongers like them do regularly in their book "In the Kitchen with the Pike Place Fish Guys: 100 Recipes and Tips from the World-Famous Crew of Pike Place Fish." 

They discuss their livelihoods and provide handfuls of go-to recipes as well as "tips and tricks and shortcuts for busy folks." 

At the shop, the crew promotes sustainable seafood, eschewing farm-raised salmon, for instance, because it is such a "resource-intensive food to produce," taking three pounds of feed to create every one pound of fish. 

They don't belabor their food politics, however, and keep the overall discussion light, including recipes for festive gatherings like crab quesadillas, crab cake BLTs, gumbo and paella. 

Early risers are offered breakfast recipes for a Dungeness crab and bacon quiche, and something they call Grits and Grunts. And fancier items such as Salmon Rillettes on Croustade and Calamari Persillade come courtesy of market neighbor Café Campagne, making this fun volume all the more appealing. 

(A version of this review appeared originally at Publishers Weekly.)

Spring peas

Spring Pea Salad

from Michelle Obama's "American Grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America"

2 1/2 cups shelled fresh green peas
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
1 small leek (white part only), cleaned and thinly sliced
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup shredded fresh mint leaves
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Pour the peas into the water and cook for no more than 2 minutes. Drain and immediately plunge the peas into a bowl of ice water. Drain and pat dry with a towel. Puree 1/2 cup of the peas in a blender.

Place the peas, pea puree, shallot and leek in a medium glass or stainless steel bowl and toss gently to combine.

Add the lemon zest and juice, olive oil and mint. Season with salt and pepper and toss gently until the vegetables are coated. Serve immediately. Makes 6 to 8 servings.