The World's 60 Best Salads... Period.

This book is a part of the World's 60 Best series of cookbooks authored by Veronique Paradis, a graduate of Montreal's Institut de tourisme et d'h%C3%B4tellerie du Quebec who has worked in some of Montreal's finest kitchens, as a caterer, and abroad in Europe and Australia. The cookbook is more appealing thanks to fellow chef Antoine Sicotte's spectacular photography, its clever layout and useful tips. The book ought to convince any skeptics that a salad can be a meal in itself. Each recipe offers an exquisite, flavorful and original meal for everyday living or as inspiration for entertaining guests. From the first recipe, a Fijian seafood dish to the last, a red pepper and hearts of palm salad; from classic side salads to hearty main dishes and bold new combinations, all the recipes are presented with simple and clear instructions to make the preparation easy. An ingredient index reassures the reader that most food items are familiar to the average household and readily available in grocery stores. Each recipe is accompanied by a flavor and cost legend, rating each dish for spiciness, richness, acidity and cost, from low to high. Some dishes, perhaps best left for leisurely days and weekends, require marinating, baking and cooking time of up to several hours. (Apr.)