COMPLIMENTS TO THE ... AUTHOR? A FEAST OF NEW CHEFS' COOKBOOKS.

Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor

Chefs' cookbooks are more popular than ever these days - and are being turned out in ever-increasing numbers.

``Chefs have been writing books specifically about their work a very long time, going back to the early 18th and 19th centuries,'' notes Nach Waxman, owner of Kitchen Arts & Letters, a 20-year-old New York shop carrying more 1,000 chefs' cookbooks.

``The real question to me is to whom are they addressing what they are writing? Many of the books done by chefs are basically professional statements and are not designed for home cooks. They are akin to books that artists do - that make a statement about the chefs' ideas and are a record or document of their work for other chefs.''

While the chefs book craze took off in the early '80s, it's only relatively recently that chefs (to popularize themselves) have extended their works to the general public - and in some cases specifically at the request of a publisher. Some are successful in producing something challenging and doable for the home cook, others are not.

``Chefs have gotten smart since doing a first cookbook about what they do in the restaurant,'' notes Ellen Rose, owner of The Cook's Library in Los Angeles, a store with more than 100 different chefs' books among the 7,000 food and food-related titles.

``The current chef book trend is how to cook and think like a chef and how to build a dish (with techniques),'' continues Rose, adding that many people are interested in how things work.

``Everybody has their own (book) vision,'' says Nancy Silverton, co- owner of Campanile restaurant and co-founder of La Brea Bakery in Los Angeles and author of six cookbooks (two with her husband, Mark Peel). While some chef books are coffee table books, others are more practical. ``The giveaway is how accessible the ingredients are, how many component parts a recipe has and how many dirty dishes you end up (with).''

Silverton's cookbooks are the result of projects she likes. Her recently released volume ``Nancy Silverton's Sandwich Book'' (Alfred A. Knopf; $24.95) was an outgrowth of the Thursday Sandwich Night at Campanile. It's inspiration first and then a book deal - not the other way around, as is the case for some chefs. Silverton strives to make her recipes accessible, interesting and to really work.

``In the '80s, a chef was not taken seriously unless he had a cookbook,'' points out Jeremiah Tower, a former chef at Chez Panisse in Berkeley in the '70s and owner of Stars restaurant in San Francisco for many years. ``It was a fantastic way to promote the restaurant; people found out about it - and the chef got publicity he couldn't possibly afford.''

In his recently released second cookbook, the 250-recipe ``Jeremiah Tower Cooks'' (Stewart, Tabori & Chang; $35), Tower says, ``I had one eye on making my book user friendly for the home cook and making recipes fast, easy and economical, but also one eye on the world of chefs or serious cooks who love a challenge over a weekend.''

But what sets his volume apart from others is the fascinating chapter on delights and prejudices - opinions and information he has gathered from more than 30 years of intense cooking.

Celebrity chef, restaurateur and Food Network show host Wolfgang Puck of Spago, Beverly Hills and numerous other restaurants and ventures, who recently released his fifth cookbook, ``Live, Love, Eat! The Best of Wolfgang Puck'' (Random House; $35), notes that his cookbooks have changed over the years - going from being chef-oriented to home-cook-oriented.

``Now I try to make them (the last two cookbooks) more user friendly for home cooks instead of impressing chefs from other restaurants.'' Recipes are simpler, tested in a home kitchen and use mostly readily accessible, not-too-expensive ingredients found in supermarkets. The 120 recipes in his newest volume have various origins - his mother, his childhood, his Food Network television show along with some new creations. < Puck explains, ``Cooking in a way is like a painting.'' Even when the same recipe is used, the end results vary from cook to cook.

New to the market, Judy Rodgers of the famed 23-year-old Zuni Cafe in San Francisco has just written ``The Zuni Cafe Cookbook'' (W.W. Norton & Co.; $35), a mix of the hows and whys of cooking along with numerous tips. Not wanting to write just a recipe book, Rodgers chose to share ``a body of info and insights I've gleaned from recipes, books and things I've taught myself (over the last three decades).'' She hopes the hybrid collection of recipes, infused with ideas and concepts about cooking, will cause cooks to dream, imagine or think about a course in a meal, cooking differently or taking more delight in cooking.

``Although many of the recipes (all have been on the Zuni menu) are quick to do, most of the recipes are more words than work,'' she says.

You be the judge.

SKEWERED MOZZARELLA 

(On the cover)

1/2 lemon, zested into long strands

Bagna Cauda

8 (6-inch) straight branches fresh rosemary OR several sprigs fresh rosemary

1/2 baguette, sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices

1 1/2 pounds (3 to 4 large balls) fresh mozzarella, sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices

Fresh bay leaves (optional)

Olive oil, for brushing skewers

Kosher salt to taste

Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

20 fresh Italian parsley leaves

Add strands of lemon zest to Bagna Cauda and stir to combine. From each branch, remove most of the rosemary leaves, leaving 1 1/2 to 2 inches of one end covered in leaves. Place a bread slice on work surface, put a piece of mozzarella on it, followed by a fresh bay leaf (optional). Repeat one more time, ending with a slice of bread. You should have a stack that has 3 slices of bread and 2 slices of cheese. Continue with remaining ingredients to make 4 stacks total. (If you can't find large rosemary branches, substitute wooden skewers. Soak wooden skewers in cold water 20 minutes. As you're assembling, put a few sprigs of fresh rosemary throughout.)

Using the leafless end of a rosemary sprig, skewer one of the stacks through the center, leaving rosemary leaves exposed on other end. Turn stack on its side and, entering from opposite end, insert another rosemary sprig, leaving leaves sticking out of other end. Brush entire skewer lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Continue in same manner with remaining stacks.

To grill, place skewers on hottest part of a charcoal or gas grill and cook 1 to 2 minutes, turning frequently, until cheese just begins to soften and bread begins to brown. To bake, place skewers on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated 400-degree oven about 5 minutes. Carefully transfer skewers to a plate and drizzle with a generous amount of Bagna Cauda. Scatter parsley leaves over. Makes 8 or more servings.

BAGNA CAUDA: Using a mortar and pestle, pulverize 2 to 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon) and 4 (3-inch-long) salt-packed anchovies, rinsed well, backbones removed and finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon), until a smooth paste. Transfer paste to a small saucepan. Add 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter and 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil and bring to a simmer over low heat. Continue simmering about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped lemon peel and 3 to 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (or to taste). Season with kosher salt to taste.

From ``Nancy Silverton's Sandwich Book,'' by Nancy Silverton with Teri Gelber.

GRILLED SHRIMP WITH GINGER AND LIME

MARINADE:

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon grated lime peel

1 teaspoon Asian toasted sesame oil

1 large clove garlic, peeled and minced

SHRIMP:

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 limes, each cut into 4 wedges

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

For Marinade, in a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, ginger, brown sugar, lime peel, sesame oil and garlic. Add shrimp to marinade and toss to coat thoroughly. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 to 3 hours.

Preheat grill or broiler. Thread shrimp and lime wedges onto 8 skewers, dividing equally and alternating. Cook shrimp skewers on grill directly over heat, or under broiler, 3 to 4 inches from heat source, until uniformly bright pink, about 5 minutes total cooking time, turning once halfway through. Serve immediately, sprinkled with cilantro. Serve with rice or grilled vegetables or on a bed of mixed greens as an appetizer or salad. Makes 4 servings.

From ``Live, Love, Eat! The Best of Wolfgang Puck.''

MY FAVORITE CHOCOLATE CAKE

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, broken into small pieces

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

5 large eggs, separated

2/3 cup granulated sugar

Pinch salt

Powdered sugar, for garnish

Unsweetened whipped cream, for garnish

Fresh berries, for garnish

Butter and flour a 10-inch round cake pan and line bottom with a piece of parchment paper, using pan as guide to cut out paper. Bring a pan of water or the bottom of a double boiler to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a bare simmer. In top half of double boiler, or in a heat-proof bowl set over but not touching water, melt chocolate and butter together, stirring occasionally. Set chocolate-butter mixture aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine egg yolks and all except 3 tablespoons granulated sugar. Whisk until sugar has dissolved and yolks are smooth. Whisking continuously, slowly pour in melted chocolate until thoroughly combined.

Put egg whites and salt in a clean bowl. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat eggs whites until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted out. Gradually sprinkle and beat in remaining 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and continue to beat until eggs whites form stiff but not dry-looking peaks when the beaters are lifted out. Stir a dollop of egg whites into chocolate mixture to lighten it. Then, a third at a time, gently fold chocolate mixture into egg whites just until thoroughly combined. Turn mixture into prepared cake pan, spreading evenly.

Bake in preheated 325-degree oven about 45 minutes, until cake looks firm and set but a wooden toothpick inserted in center still comes out slightly moist. Immediately turn cake out onto a cooling rack by using pot holders or oven gloves to hold rack securely on top of pan and then inverting them together and lifting off pan. Peel off parchment paper. As cake cools, center will sink and crack, but do not worry.

Before serving, put some powdered sugar in a fine-meshed sieve and tap sieve to dust cake with sugar. Cut cake into wedges and serve with unsweetened whipped cream or berries. Makes 8 to 12 servings.

From ``Live, Love, Eat! The Best of Wolfgang Puck.''

AUTOSTRADA SANDWICH

8 slices white OR whole-wheat sourdough bread, buttered

4 ounces aged provolone, preferably imported, sliced into 6 to 10 (1/16- inch thick) slices

4 jarred marinated cherry peppers, seeded and finely chopped

4 ounces mortadella, preferably imported, sliced into 6 to 8 (1/16-inch thick) slices and cut in half

4 ounces coppa, sliced into 16 to 20 (1/16-inch thick) slices

4 ounces dry salami, such as soprossata, sliced into 16 to 20 (1/16-inch thick) slices

2 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced into about 8 slices

To assemble sandwiches: Set 1/2 of bread slices buttered side down, and cover with 1/2 of cheese slices, folding them back in toward middle if they extend past edges of bread. Scatter peppers evenly over cheese. Place a single layer of mortadella over peppers, followed by a layer of coppa, a layer of salami and a layer of prosciutto. Place one more slice of cheese over meats. (As you layer cheese and meats, be sure to cover bread and allow some of the meat to extend just beyond edge of bread so it gets crisp while grilling.) Put top slice of bread over, buttered side up. Grill sandwiches. Cut each sandwich in half on the diagonal. Makes 4 sandwiches.

From ``Nancy Silverton's Sandwich Book,'' by Nancy Silverton with Teri Gelber.

PASTA ALLA CARBONARA 

5 ounces bacon (4 or 5 thick slices), cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch segments

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 large OR 5 small eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup fresh ricotta cheese, at room temperature

1 pound spaghetti, penne OR bucatini 

Salt

About 3/4 cup shucked sweet English peas OR mature sugar snap peas OR double-peeled favas

About 2 ounces pecorino romano OR pecorino sardo, grated (1 cup lightly packed) (do not substitute Parmigiano-Reggiano)

Freshly cracked black pepper

Warm bacon in olive oil in a 12-inch skillet or 3-quart saute pan (see Note below) over low heat. It should gradually render a little fat, which will mix with oil. Meanwhile, lightly beat eggs with ricotta.

Drop pasta into 6 quarts rapidly boiling water seasoned with a scant 2 tablespoons salt (a little more if using kosher salt). Stir and cook until al dente. When pasta is about 1 minute from being al dente, add peas or favas to water and increase heat under bacon. Cook bacon until just crispy on edges but still tender in middle. Turn off heat, slide pan from heat, and swirl it a few times to cool it slightly.

Drain pasta; shake off excess water and slide pasta and peas into pan of bacon; you'll hear a discreet sizzle. Place back on burner. Immediately pour beaten egg mixture all over steaming pasta, add most of pecorino and lots of cracked black pepper and fold to combine. Work quickly so heat of pasta, bacon and bacon fat slightly cooks eggs. The eggs and ricotta will coat pasta and form tiny, soft, golden curds. Serve in warm bowls and offer remaining pecorino and black pepper. Makes 4 to 5 servings.

NOTE: If you prefer eggs cooked further, return pan to low heat, but use a nonstick pan, or else much of egg and some of pasta will stick to pan.

From ``The Zuni Cafe Cookbook,'' by Judy Rodgers.

ORANGE-CURRANT SCONES

3 cups all-purpose flour

Scant 1/2 cup sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound cold butter (2 sticks)

1/2 cup dried currants

1 tablespoon freshly grated orange peel

1 large egg

1/2 cup whole milk

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and mix well. Cut in butter until size of small peas. Add currants and orange peel and toss well. Whisk together egg and milk. Add to dry ingredients and mix and fold until dough masses and flour is absorbed. Don't worry if dough is a little streaky.

Divide the dough in half and shape into 2 balls. Pat each one into a 6- to 7-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Roll about 1-inch thick and cut like a pie into 6 wedges each. Place on baking sheets. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven about 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and firm to touch. These are best served warm from the oven. Makes 12 scones.

From ``The Zuni Cafe Cookbook,'' by Judy Rodgers .

FAST AND EASY PLATE-COOKED FISH PAILLARD WITH GINGER, GARLIC AND TOMATOES

4 (2-ounce) slices boneless and skinless fillet of salmon, tuna, halibut, grouper, red snapper, sturgeon, sea bass or albacore, no thicker than 1/4-inch

3 tablespoons butter

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup fish stock

1 (2-ounce) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2/3 cup chopped tomatoes

12 sprigs fresh cilantro

Preheat broiler or oven. Pound fish slices until they are evenly 1/8-inch thick. Put 4 heat-resistant plates in oven or under broiler until hot. Remove and brush each one with 1/2 teaspoon butter. Season paillards of fish with salt and pepper and put one on each plate. Mix fish stock, ginger, garlic and tomatoes in a saute pan. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes. Whisk remaining butter into sauce and pour over fish. By the time you garnish the plates with cilantro, fish will be done. Makes 4 servings.

NOTE: The heat of the plate and the hot sauced poured over the paillard do all the cooking.

From ``Jeremiah Tower Cooks,'' by Jeremiah Tower.

FAST AND EASY LIGHTLY CREAMED LEFTOVER VEGETABLE SOUP

2 cups cooked leftover vegetables

2 cups chicken stock

2 cups half-and-half

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Using a food processor, chop vegetables into 1/8-inch cubes. Put in a saucepan, add stock and half-and-half and heat, but not to a boil. Season and serve immediately. Makes 4 to 6 servings. From ``Jeremiah Tower Cooks'' by Jeremiah Tower.

CAPTION(S):

9 photos

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) Skewered Mozzarella

From ``Nancy Silverton's Sandwich Book - The Best Sandwiches Ever - From Thursday Nights at Campanille,'' Alfred A. Knopf

(2 -- color) PASTA ALLA CARBONARA

(3 -- color) ORANGE-CURRANT SCONES

From ``The Zuni Cafe Cookbook,'' W.W. Norton & Co.

(4 -- color) MY FAVORITE CHOCOLATE CAKE

(5 -- color) GRILLED SHRIMP WITH GINGER AND LIME

From ``Live, Love, Eat! The Best of Wolfgang Puck,'' Random House

(6 -- 9 -- color) no caption (Cookbooks)