Regina's International Vegetarian Favorites

As more and more Americans choose meat-free diets, the vegetarian cookbook field grows ever more crowded, with practical workhorse volumes competing against gloriously photographed food porn. This latest entry from Campbell, the host of the PBS cooking show Regina's Vegetarian Table, is firmly in the workhorse category. In 160 recipes, unadorned by illustrations, Campbell draws on culinary traditions from around the world, from Madame Bovie's Borscht to spicy Caribbean Jerk-Style Black Beans to Baked Samosas (a recipe for is Garam Masala included elsewhere). Some recipes, such as the Mushrooms with Golden Tears, require only three ingredients and ten minutes of prep time; others are more complicated, but nothing is out of reach for the average home cook. The collection is organized in traditional cookbook style, by parts of a meal (from appetizers to entrees, desserts to beverages) rather than types of cuisine. It concludes with Campbell's explanations of various world cuisines and one sample menu for each, but it doesn't include much guidance for creating other menus or even explain if a recipe is Mexican or Southwestern. Fans of Campbell's show will like this book, but others may be find her anecdotes and her breezy conversational tone a bit precious. (June)