Alicia Wilkinson of Silwood Kitchens, Cape Town, has set out to create the most complete, basic and broad-ranging handbook available on the subject of handling, preparing and cooking South African fish and seafood, be it fresh, frozen, canned or preserved.

Her practical approach caters for the novice as well as for the experienced cook who will find here recipes that are a challenge and an inspiration. And, at all times, she has borne in mind the many people for whom the only fish available comes from the local supermarket.

In The Complete South African Fish and Seafood Cookbook you will find:

• 297 recipes ranging from simple Sunday suppers of fish and chips to Cordon Bleu extravaganzas, from braaied swordfish kebabs to Sole Caprice and Hout Bay snoek pate
• step-by-step diagrams and instructions on handling South African fresh fish and seafoods
• all the basic cookery principles relating to every type of South African food from the sea, poaching, steaming, baking, frying, grilling, braaing and preserving

Chapters include:

• South African traditional fish fare: gesmoorde snoek to fish bobotie and fragrant fish curries
• alikreukel, limpets, perlemoen, oysters, black, brown and white mussels and razor clams, amongst others
• a complete guide to handling and cooking crayfish, prawns, shrimp and crab
• everything you need to know about squid and octopus, from catching your own to cleaning and preparing them for many specially selected recipes

Finally, a comprehensive index to all the commercially available fish as well as to game and line fish found in South Africa