Explore Pick Of The Crop In Vegetarian Cookbooks

While a few are esoteric and focus on particular diets or vegetarian staples such as tofu, tempeh and miso, most of today's vegetarian books will appeal to vegetarians and those who are simply curious about meat-free dining.

Following is a sample of the recent vegetarian cookbook crop and one or two classics:

-- "The Almost Vegetarian" (Clarkson/Potter, $18.) by Diana Shaw: This book should please those who want to put more vegetables into their daily diet but who aren't ready to abandon meat. (Due in October.)

-- "The Bold Vegetarian" (HarperPerennial, paper, $16.) by Bharti Kirchner: Although steeped in Indian cuisine, Kirchner has no qualms about fusing vegetable dishes from many countries, including Vietnam, Portugal, Italy, France and Turkey.

-- "The Enchanted Broccoli Forest," (Ten Speed Press, $18.95) by Mollie Katzen: The author of "The Moosewood Cookbook," a classic vegetarian tome, Katzen delivers this shorter sequel with recipes that are lower in fat and streamlined. The text is homey but hand-lettered and difficult to read.

-- "Earthly Delights," (Thorsons/HarperCollins, $32) by Vikki Leng: Published in Australia, this beautifully photographed, extensive volume shows that the United States does not a have a corner on contemporary vegetarian cuisine.

-- "500 Low-Fat Fruit and Vegetable Recipes" (Villard, $15) by Sarah Schlesinger: Although it contains some recipes using meat and seafood, there are plenty of vegetarian ideas for everyday home fare.

-- "Fresh From a Vegetarian Kitchen" (St. Martin's, paper, $14.95) by Meredith McCarty: A natural-foods chef and cooking teacher creates 450 recipes using fresh fruits, vegetables and grains with no eggs or dairy products.

-- "The Good Herb" (Morrow, $25) by Judith Benn Hurley: Not only do common and exotic herbs find their way into some creative all-vegetable dishes, but the author provides a wealth of facts and lore about them.

-- "High-flavor, Low-fat Vegetarian Cooking" (Viking, $24.95) by Steven Raichlen: Not a strict vegetarian, Raichlen in this book nevertheless brings full flavor to all-vegetable, low-fat meals, often by fusing foods and techniques of several cultures.

-- "Main-Course Vegetarian Pleasures" (HarperPerennial, paper, $15) by Jeanne Lemlin: From Szechwan cabbage to couscous Provencal, these recipes help solve the problem of how a vegetable dish can fill the center of the plate.

-- "New Vegetarian Cuisine" (Rodale, $26.95) by Linda Rosensweig and the editors of Prevention magazine: 250 well-illustrated and easy-to-make recipes incorporate modern flavors and techniques.

-- "The Occasional Vegetarian" (Warner, $24.95) by Karen Lee: Like Diana Shaw in "The Almost Vegetarian," Lee, a caterer and cooking teacher, shows how vegetable-based dishes can be just as hearty as those centered on meats.

-- "Pasta Verde" (Macmillan, $23) by Judith Barrett: Pasta is perfect for featuring a forest of vegetables from raw to sauced. Also included are salads, soups and casseroles.

-- "Recipes from the Moon" (Ten Speed Press, $14.95) by Gary Beardsworth: The second cookbook of recipes used by the Horn of the Moon Cafe, a vegetarian restaurant in Montpelier, Vt., this book is by the cafe's current owner, who assumed control in 1990.

-- "Sam Okamoto's Incredible Vegetables" (Pelican, $19.95) by Osamu Okamoto: Trained in French cuisine, Vancouver chef Okamoto borrows from his Asian roots to help provide healthful dishes.

-- "Uncommon Fruits and Vegetables"(HarperPerennial, paper, $20) by Elizabeth Schneider: First published in 1986, this common-sense guide to lesser-known fruits and vegetables with text and illustrative recipes continues to be an indispensable reference to the serious vegetarian.

-- "Vegetarian Cooking Made Simple" (Morris, paper, $6.95) by Susan Lapp (send $6.95 plus $2 handling to Susan Lapp, 6421 N. Drake Ave., Lincolnwood, Ill. 60645): This self-published volume tells how one woman changed to a vegetarian lifestyle and offers some of the recipes that help her relish living without meats, eggs or cheese.

-- "Vegetarian Express" (Little, Brown, paper, $15.95) by Nava Atlas and Lillian Kayte: Often using frozen, canned and otherwise "convenient" products, the authors show how to make easy, healthful vegetarian menus in less than a half hour.

-- "The Vegetarian Feast" (HarperPerennial, paper, $14) by Martha Rose Shulman: Originally published in 1979 and a classic ever since, this book has been carefully updated for the '90s with 50 new recipes.

-- "The Vegetarian Table: Mexico" (Chronicle, $19.95) by Victoria Wise: Today's Mexican cuisine is hearty and varied and lends itself easily to vegetarian eating without a heavy reliance on fat.

And coming in the fall:

-- "All-American Vegetarian" (Holt, $25): Chicago cookbook author Barbara Grunes and former newspaper food writer Virginia Van Vynckt offer low-fat vegetarian recipes and menus from regions across the U.S.

-- "Lean Italian Meatless Meals" (Fawcett Columbine, $18.50) by Anne Casale, due out in September: Pasta, pizza, polenta and pilaf provide natural vehicles for vegetables, while desserts and cookies have their own fruity personalities.