Barbecue

Eckhardt (The New West Coast Cuisine, etc.) uses the term ""barbecue'' liberally and in some cases stretches a point: setting a sauteuse on an open fire doesn't make raspberry crown into barbecue. Otherwise, this is a varied and interesting collection of international and American regional dishes. Standard barbecue staples are not neglected: Texas T-bones require simple grilling and minimal seasoning while Cajun pork spareribs cook slowly to a rich reddish brown. More imaginative contributions are superb and eclectic: rosemary-marinated grilled tuna steaks, leg of lamb with juniper berries and gin, and ground lamb pinchitos are derived, respectively, from the cuisines of Southern Italy, England and Morocco, while grilled asparagus with shallot-Dijon sauce is a Michigan specialty. Instructions for charcoal fires are helpful, but those for wood fires are deficient. And the self-congratulations are grating (``God, is this gorgeous''). Illustrations not seen by PW. (May 28)