Vegetarian Gourmet

At first glance, the reader wonders why anyone would publish yet another vegetarian cookbook, even a putatively gourmet one, but this collection of recipes does have unusual satisfactions among the more predictable fare. The Bienenfelds avoid salt and refined sugar, but unlike many vegetarian chefs, they also avoid egg yolks. Still they venture into puddings, cookies and even the heart of egg cookerythe omelette. Cottage cheese is a frequent substitute, but that doesn't mean the food is bland. Many of the more enticing dishes have spicy accents, such as the baked papaya with Indian flavorings, the tofu jalapeno salad and a variety of bean dishes. Despite the gourmet pretensions, the recipes are generally easy to execute and there is little fussing about shoping: the authors call for few truly exotic or pricey ingredients. (August)