Fresh From The Sea

For her latest book and TV series Clodagh McKenna is on a mission to dispel bad memories of fish loaded with heavy sauce, so overcooked it actually bounced, and eaten as a kind of penance. She wants to show that fish is actually remarkably simple to cook and is a delicious, healthy food source that should be a regular feature of our diet. A great dish can be prepared faster than the time it takes to queue for a ready-meal in the supermarket!

Fresh from the Sea is not just a book of fantastic recipes and mouth-watering images, it’s a celebration of the Irish fishing industry, from the fishermen to the fishmongers, market stallholders and artisan producers. It is not a good time to be a fisherman in Ireland. Restrictive quotas, high costs, crippling fuel prices and the threat of injury are just some of the challenges that mean this ancient way of life is under threat. The best way to support the fishermen is to buy their fish. Fresh from the Sea shows how we can make the most of this fabulous resource surrounding us on all sides.

‘We are a nation with a history of fishing and great culinary expertise in cooking fish, yet we have turned our back on the sea as a primary food source. Let’s reclaim it. It’s ironic that in a time when there are so many health warnings and such concern about obesity, we are eating less fish. Eating fish is known to benefit the heart and brain, to reduce depression and to help the circulatory system. So what’s stopping us? Let’s get cooking fish again’

Clodagh McKenna

Clodagh has travelled the length and breadth of the country to meet the men and women who keep the fishing industry alive. The book profiles some of the remarkable, innovative characters who have developed successful businesses by exploiting the astoundingly good quality produce available. Readers will gain an appreciation for this tough industry and an understanding of how it works.

The recipes in this book meet a range of needs, from hearty family meals like fish pie to dinner party dishes like squid and tomato stew, which will create a stir but actually couldn’t be easier to prepare. Fresh from the Sea also contains a guide to what’s in season and how to buy quality fish, a county by county guide to the best fishmongers and market stallholders, shows how to shop for, store and freeze fish and provides great store cupboard suggestions that ensure you have all you need at your disposal to whip up a great meal in minutes.

Fresh From The Sea is expected to arrive mid August 2009. For more information, contact The Irish Book Review

About Clodagh McKenna

Clodagh McKenna trained as a chef at Ballymaloe Cookery School and then went on to work as a chef in Ballymaloe House for 3 years. She left the kitchen to set up her own stall at a local market and developed other farmers markets around Ireland.

Clodagh writes a weekly column for the Irish Examiner and also writes for RSVP magazine. She is a regular guest on UKTV's Market Kitchen, spokesperson for AGA Ireland and works with SuperValu supermarkets in Ireland to develop and promote their artisan producers.

Clodagh lives in Turin where she lectures at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Colorno.

Fresh from the Sea is her second book and is accompanied by her 3rd series for RTE TV, sponsored by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM).

www.clodaghmckenna.com.