Microwave Gourmet

Kafka focuses here on producing interesting, pleasing dishes rather than on teaching readers how to operate their new microwave ovens. Microwaved classics like sauce espagnole may raise conservative eyebrows, but she is, by and large, successful in her attempt. Swordfish with tomato and basil, truite au bleu and catfish fillet with cornbread stuffing make much of the oven's capacity for cooking fish. Recipes range from family dishes, such as chunky beef chili and pork chops with sauerkraut, to company fare, including pheasant with currant cream, squab with seasoned butter under the skin and shad roe with sorrel sauce. Ingredients emphasize fresh items rather than prepackaged shortcuts; in fact, recipes for such pantry items as peach chutney and cranberry sauce are included. Unfortunately, the concluding reference ""dictionary'' is of uneven quality. Vogue food editor Kafka is the Tastemaker Award-winning author of American Food and California Wines and Food for Friends. Illustrations not seen by PW. (September 29)