The Practical Writer

The meatlessness suggested in this cookbook's title is greatly exaggerated: there is only one truly vegetarian recipe (Basic Tomato Sauce) in the entire collection. The rest of the 200-plus recipes support what Carlson calls ``a meat-seasoned diet,'' with dishes containing no more than 20% fat and promising that at least 60% of the serving's calories will be from carbohydrates. Carlson actually adds meat or fish to many classic meatless recipes, such as the chicken stock used in Peppered Polenta, the sea bass in Macaroni Salad, a beefed-up Borscht and diced lamb in Tibetan Buckwheat Noodles. The recipes are diverse in ethnic origin, healthful in their low-fat emphasis and loaded with high-flavor ingredients, e.g., cocoa in Chili Colorado and a hint of vanilla in Quinoa Pilaf with Baked Chicken Legs. Carlson's use of meat as flavoring rather than main ingredient is laudable. The problem here is the title, which misrepresents the collection as a whole and does a disservice to the author's actual accomplishment. (Feb.)