THE QUICK GOURMET COOKBOOK

A modest compendium of generally guesty dishes, which like so many of its ilk, is long on ideas and short on warnings and processes for the novice. However at least this breezy collection of recipes does not rely on prepared commercial ingredients, and there is enough variety to intrigue the beginner. She may be flummoxed by a mix-it-all-at-once meatloaf which calls for ""fl pound salt pork"" (where does she put it!) but a gala ""Tournedos a la Nicoise"" (fillets of beef with a mad tomato sauce) is fully within her capacities. As for the ""quick gourmet"" misnomer -- it never is.