Country Egg, City Egg

The egg is back in style, and few cooks have a fresher take on its amazing versatility than Pirie and Clark, who spent several years planning brunch menus at San Francisco's innovative Zuni Cafe. According to them, ""Eggs are the ultimate and purest fast food on the planet,"" and they prove this with five dozen delightful recipes that follow the seasons and dress up or down to fit the occasion. Eggs in a Tomato Nest or Caramelized Apple Omelets, for example, would suit summer breakfast or lunch tables, while wintry dinners might demand Slow-Cooked Eggs with Black Truffles or a festive Piperade. The authors give plenty of basic egg-cooking advice (poaching, boiling, omelet-rolling), but they also put an irresistible spin on even the simplest fried egg--fried with a splash of Balsamic vinegar, say, or sunny-side up with a handful of wild mushrooms. Their favorite ingredient also turns up in Gruy re-filled Goug res, Pasta Carbonara, Chocolate Souffl and myriad other soups, salads, sandwiches and sauces. Though the health-conscious may frown at the occasional intrusion of duck fat and raw eggs, the simple deliciousness of these dishes will make most cooks want to head right to the kitchen to get cracking. (Apr.)