From the Lands of Figs and Olives: Over 300 Delicious and Unusual Recipes from the Middle East and North Africa

Two Canadians of Arab heritage have compiled this pleasantly old-fashioned collection of recipes. While not flashy, the book offers page after page of solid, mostly simple and wholly satisfying fare. Appetizers are especially fine, as is to be expected from cultures in which the serving of dozens of small dishes to start a meal is common. Avocado Appetizer is spiced with cayenne pepper; Zucchini and Yogurt Dip contains garlic and sesame sauce; Turnip Pickles have beets added for color. Recipes are titled in English and Arabic, and the authors provide countries of origin. Salad of Dandelion Greens hails from Syria and Lebanon, while Radish and Orange Salad is Moroccan. More familiar dishes like Kibbeh often appear in several versions (Raw Kibbeh, Baked Kibbeh, Kibbeh Iraqi Style and Kibbeh with Lemon). By keeping things uncluttered, Salloum and Peters have managed to fit an extraordinary range of dishes into this reliable book. Classic recipes like the one for Falafel cohabit with more exotic fare such as Fried Cucumbers and Pomegranate Pizza Arabic Style. Among the delicious desserts and honey-drenched pastries is Gazelle's Ankles, an Algerian sweet named for its shape, not its ingredients. (Aug.)