Leon: Naturally Fast Food

A follow-up to Leon: Baking & Desserts, the latest from the small but popular U.K. restaurant chain is a pure delight. Divided into two halves%E2%80%94Fast Food, defined here as meals that can be prepared in 20 minutes or less, and Slow Fast Food, which comprise meals that require some preparation but can be reheated and enjoyed again later%E2%80%94this effort from restaurateurs Dimbleby and Vincent, along with a host of other chefs, showcases hundreds of recipes for readers of all tastes and cooks of all skill levels. Loaded with tips, whimsical drawings, and family photos%E2%80%94there%E2%80%99s even a page of stickers%E2%80%94the authors%E2%80%99 exuberance and zest for cooking is impossible to ignore. Luckily, neither are the recipes, which range from Dimbleby%E2%80%99s mom%E2%80%99s spicy Burmese cabbage to Carpaccio with parmesan crisps, "Mitch%E2%80%99s Barbecued Squid" with chili and peppers, Persian onion soup, "Jojo%E2%80%99s Lemon & Ugly Lime Marmalade," chicken nuggets for the kids, and even a handful of cocktails. Though the layout is playful (the recipe for Upside-Down Apple & Cardamom Tart appears, appropriately, upside down), the dishes themselves are seriously spot-on and even feature the names of the folks who tested each one to make sure ratios were correct. Engaging, imaginative, and entertaining, this is one of the year%E2%80%99s most memorable cookbooks, but readers beware: you%E2%80%99ll likely be spending all that time you saved cooking just flipping through this fun and delicious collection. (Sept.)