The Flavors of the Florida Keys

In The Flavors of the Florida Keys, Linda Gassenheimer brings the islands to your kitchen with over two hundred recipes that range from the humble Bahamian Conch Chowder to the sophisticated Crab Cakes with Pommery Mustard Sauce. The sun-drenched Florida Keys are a unique crossroads where Caribbean, European, and American cultures and cuisines meet. In her quest for the best of the Keys' culinary traditions, Gassenheimer has been everywhere from waterfront beach shacks to resort dining rooms, while collecting the stories of the men and women behind the recipes—the eccentric artists and writers, the local fishermen, and the bon vivants captured by the magical atmosphere of the Keys.

Your dinner companions include Chef Wolfgang Birk from the island paradise of Hawks Cay Resort whose Ocean Bounty serves up an abundance of superlative seafood from the surrounding seas, Chef Doug Shook from acclaimed Louie's Backyard, Elena Spottswood, a member of one of the original Conch families. Travel the Keys with Gassenheimer's book by your side, and discover its hidden treasures; use it as a stove-side companion to bring the sunlight and spirit of the Keys to your own dining table.

LINDA GASSENHEIMER's newspaper column, "Dinner in Minutes," is seen weekly by over six million readers nationwide. She is the author of eleven cookbooks including Keys Cuisine, the James Beard award winner Dinner in Minutes, and Prevention's Fit and Fast Meals in Minutes.
Will be available in December 2010. $27.50 (Canada: $32.95) hardcover

A recipe featured in The Flavors of the Florida Keys: HEAVENLY HOGFISH AND TOMATOES Recipe from Tom's Harbour House
Hawk's Cay Resort

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 1/2-pound hogfish fillets
(or delicate white fish such as flounder)
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped chives
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 cup sliced shallots
2 cups diced tomatoes, about 1/4-inch
1/4 cup white wine
1 tablespoon mango puree
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add hogfish and sauté 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate,drizzle with lemon juice, and add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with chopped chives. Cover with foil to keep warm. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to same skillet. Add garlic and shallots. Sauté 1 minute. Add white wine and cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cook 2 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in mango puree. Add salt and pepper to taste. Divide hogfish among 4 plates and spoon tomatoes over the top and on the side. Serves 4.

©Flavors of the Florida Keys by Linda Gassenheimer; All Rights Reserved