The Whole Fish Cookbook

'My cookbook of the year.' – Yotam Ottolenghi, chef and author

'A mind-blowing masterpiece from one of the most impressive chefs of a generation.' – Jamie Oliver, chef and author

'There’s no other chef in the world that I would rather have scale me with his knife, dry-age me, roast me, glaze me, rest me, slice me, serve me than this powerful spirit! Thank you Josh for paying attention and caring the way you do! You are a shining light!' – Matty Matheson, chef and author

'Here’s one of those rare books that teaches you the basics. An inspiring read, and something to return to again and again — these pages are sure to be worn down quick.' – Rene Redzepi, chef and author

'If you love cooking fish, this book will be a revelation. You'll learn about dry-ageing to concentrate flavour and using every part but the bubble from the fish's mouth!' – Rick Stein, chef and author

'Well that was a smack around the head! This book is a game changer!  Josh has basically taken all the old ways of fish prep and cookery and thrown the bad ones out the window then turned what remains on its head. This book is such an eye opener for me personally and at the same time makes so much sense when Josh explains how he thinks about the world of seafood. This is a very, very special book and in many years to come, I will look back at this moment in time and say to myself, "Remember that time when Josh from Saint Peter brought that book out and we all had to rethink the way we prepared and cooked fish and seafood forever?" Thanks Josh and to all the team at Saint Peter for sharing this knowledge with us! – Nathan Outlaw, chef and author

'Equal parts comprehensive technical manual and a giant porthole into creativity, chef Niland's honest and pure approach to all things fish is inspiring. The Whole Fish Cookbook beautifully articulates the entire animal approach while methodically opening the reader's mind to how responsibility and innovation coexist.' – Grant Achatz, chef and author

'Josh Niland is a genius.' – Nigella Lawson, author

'To desire simplicity is a very complex exercise. Josh Niland is an inspiration to our profession. In The Whole Fish Cookbook he offers us a wealth of enjoyment and enthusiasm. In a compelling way, he shows us that with time and patience you can discover the real depth of flavour.'  – Bo Bech, chef and author

'I have followed Josh for such a long time and adore him and his use of every part of a fish – what a trailblazer he is … this book is for home cooks as much as chefs and I applaud it.'  – Maggie Beer, author

'Josh Niland's uncompromising discipline combined with his unique scale-to-tail, sustainable seafood philosophy has led to a revolution in the way we think, feel, prepare and eat seafood.' – Kylie Kwong, chef and author

'I have been racking my brain trying to think of an American restaurant that comes close to the inventiveness and deep consideration that seafood is afforded at Saint Peter, to no avail ... Saint Peter is proof that when it comes to the modern dedicated seafood restaurant, Australia does it best.' – Besha Rodell, The New York Times

'Josh Niland can coax deliciousness from fish eyeballs, swim bladders and even fish blood with confidence and elegance ... his endeavours, sometimes hauntingly visceral, other times plainly cheeky, [are] always beautiful and restrained. His approach is going to change the way the world thinks about cooking and eating seafood.' – Melanie Hansche, Food & Wine

'This is a book anyone who cares about the future sustainability of our food sources and loves fish has to own.' – Sudi Pigott, The Spectator

'I have been waiting for a book like this: a primer that breaks down the elements of fish cookery. Many of us wish we ate more fish, yet we strangely don't tend to cook it much. Niland, a young Australian chef, demystifies fish, from knowing when it is fresh, to butterflying a sardine. This is a cheffy volume, featuring extraordinary creations such as black fish pudding or a coral trout tail glazed to taste like a Christmas ham. What excited me most were the simple, methodical tips on techniques such as poaching or how to get a really crisp skin on a pan-cooked fillet (weight it down slightly).' – Bee Wilson, The Sunday Times

'This book has gained an underground following among cooks, professional and amateur. The idea is simple, that we should honour fish with the same care and attention that we do meat and "butcher" them accordingly. The results may well change western cooking.' – Tim Hayward, The Financial Times

'Will this become as influential as Nose to Tail Eating? The Australian chef Josh Niland takes the rule of wasting no part of the animal and applies it to fish. It's not a book for casual cooks – not all of us are ready for cod liver and parsley on toast or fish fat caramel slice – but there are recipes and techniques that will benefit fish lovers.' – Tony Turnbull, The Times
 




 
 I have followed Josh for such a long time and adore him and his use of every part of a fish – what a trailblazer he is … this book is for home cooks as much as chefs and I applaud it.
  * Maggie Beer *
With The Whole Fish Cookbook, Josh Niland has revolutionised the way we think about, and treat, fish. Nose to tail cooking, when it comes to animals, has been commonplace since humans started eating meat. So why has it taken so long for us to treat fish in the same way? In this eye-opening book, Niland teaches us not only how to cure and preserve fish, just as we do meat (think moonfish belly bacon and swordfish prosciutto), but also explains how he uses every little bit of every fish in his pioneering restaurant and fish butchery in Sydney. From the eyeballs and swim bladders (which he makes crisps out of), throats (which he deep fries), sperm sacks (which he treats like sweetbreads), blood (which he turns into blood pudding), bones (which he pulverises to enhance stocks) to all the remaining scraps (which he turns into grams). Niland has cleverly devised uses for parts that are usually thrown away without a second thought, inspiring not only chefs, but also fishing industries around the world. * Yotam Ottolenghi, The Guardian *
'John Lewis may have recently stopped selling fish kettles due to lack of demand, but don't let that be a deterrent. Seafood chef Josh Niland believes we should treat piscine cuisine with the same nose-to-tail reverence as meat.' * The Herald, Scotland *
'This book has gained an underground following among cooks, professional and amateur. The idea is simple, that we should honour fish with the same care and attention that we do meat and "butcher" them accordingly. The results may well change western cooking.' * Tim Hayward, The Financial Times *
'I have been waiting for a book like this: a primer that breaks down the elements of fish cookery. Many of us wish we ate more fish, yet we strangely don't tend to cook it much. Niland, a young Australian chef, demystifies fish, from knowing when it is fresh, to butterflying a sardine. This is a cheffy volume, featuring extraordinary creations such as black fish pudding or a coral trout tail glazed to taste like a Christmas ham. What excited me most were the simple, methodical tips on techniques such as poaching or how to get a really crisp skin on a pan-cooked fillet (weight it down slightly).' * Bee Wilson, The Sunday Times *
'Will this become as influential as Nose to Tail Eating? The Australian chef Josh Niland takes the rule of wasting no part of the animal and applies it to fish. It's not a book for casual cooks – not all of us are ready for cod liver and parsley on toast or fish fat caramel slice – but there are recipes and techniques that will benefit fish lovers.' * Tony Turnbull, The Times *
'This is a book anyone who cares about the future sustainability of our food sources and loves fish has to own.'
  * Sudi Pigott, The Spectator *