Roger Vergi's Vegetables in the French Style

Verge, founder of the Moulin de Mougins restaurant in the South of France, brings an infectious enthusiasm for vegetable cookery to this book. The recipes reflect his fondness for his adopted home in Provence in their use of olive oil, anchovies and, of course, vegetables. Whether vegetarian, health-conscious or simply looking for new recipes, you'll find something of interest here. In addition to individual vegetables, Verge also provides recipes for vegetable medleys such as three-vegetable quiche with thyme and all-vegetable menus. A very useful chapter on sauces and coulis that enhance and complement the different vegetable flavors also is included. Verge provides strict instructions on how to pick the freshest and best vegetables and which wines complement his creations. Although the recipes are well-written and the comments helpful, inexperienced cooks might be confused by such instructions as ``throw in a handful of salt.'' Likewise, anyone unsure of how to sweat a vegetable had better study Verge's chapter on techniques. Cooks will find that Verge strives to enhance delicate flavors and combine pleasing or intriguing tastes and textures in spinach-coconut flan and glazed pearl onions with dried currants. One caveat: though recipes primarily contain vegetables, many cannot be considered low-fat, as they use butter or olive oil in preparation. (Sept.)