Fresh 15-Minute Meals

New potatoes sauteed in oil with a touch of sage and Parmesan cheese; risotto with radicchio; sauteed squab with cognac and ginger; red snapper with orange saucethese are only four of the 200 time-saving recipes in Chapman's repertoire. The author of two previous cookbooks of fast-cooking recipes, Chapman relies on quick sautes, steaming and blanching to save precious seconds, and most of the recipes, derived from Italian regional specialties, adapt remarkably well. The only problem is that while each recipe takes only 15 minutes to prepare, even the most nimble-fingered cook would be hard-pressed to bring in a full meal in under half an hour. But aside from this titular misconception, and the fact that some of the recipes have appeared in the author's previous collections, this is a pleasant book, with lots of personality and a special, idiosyncratic twist to each recipe. (September)