Mostly Vegetables (Next Reprint)

Thomas Jefferson attributed his longevity to eating a hearty amount of vegetables and using meat as a condiment. For the many 20th-century Americans following in the same tradition, James Beard Award winner Costner (for Great Sandwiches) serves up more than 150 mostly vegetable recipes. Arranged by courses from starters to desserts, the recipes feature flavors predominantly Mediterranean (Minestrone with Rosemary-Chili Pesto; Tuscan Fig and Bread Tart), with bows to Thai, Mexican, Chinese and Indian cuisines (Zucchini with Cilantro; Stir-Fried Asian Greens). Costner suggests that most of the recipes are quickly prepared, but less seasoned cooks may find some recipes somewhat difficult: preparation times for fresh vegetables and fruits are necessarily longer, and filling vine leaves with anything is never quick or neat (Grilled Vine Leaf Parcels, with basmati rice, ricotta and crumbled feta). Not for cooks on a budget are the recipes calling for such high-end ingredients as quail eggs or fresh truffles (Hubert Keller's Succulent Truffled Potato Stew with Pate a l'Eau), the use of which Costner encourages whenever possible (although she considers truffle oil, at about $5 an ounce, an acceptable substitute). (July)