CULINARY-STORE GURUS ENTER THE COOKBOOK WORLD.

Byline: Natalie Haughton Daily News Food Editor

If you're interested in food and you've been to New York, no doubt you've visited Dean & DeLuca, the gourmet food shop whose name is synonymous with a vast array of unique, trendy, chic imported and domestic food products. It's like a toy store for foodies.

The store opened in an unglamorous neighborhood in the SoHo district 20 years ago, said Giorgio DeLuca, a former history teacher and son of an Italian food broker, from his office in the main SoHo store (four times larger than their old store).

And the culinary revolution began shortly thereafter when DeLuca, who formerly owned a cheese shop in Greenwich Village (``the taste of cheese - from Gorgonzola to great Parmesan and more - was so exciting,'' said DeLuca), traveled to Europe and discovered and imported a raft of ingredients unfamiliar to Americans.

Important imports

Imported balsamic vinegar (in 1979) was among the first finds the store introduced to cooks in this country followed by other Mediterranean imports including sun-dried tomatoes, pesto in jars, olive oils, olive pastes, pastas, caponatas in tins and more.

From there, DeLuca and partner Joel Dean, a former publishing executive, turned to other areas of Europe as well as Asia for inspiration and then eventually to American producers. The store was in the forefront of familiarizing Americans with numerous beans and grains, spices, barbecue sauces, hot sauces, cheeses from around the world, breads, pastries and more. And many of the food items have found acceptance in stores throughout the country.

Now Dean and DeLuca - with a branch of their store in Washington, D.C., in addition to five espresso bars and cafes in Manhattan and three in Washington - are touting their ``The Dean and DeLuca Cookbook,'' (Random House; $35) written over four years with David Rosengarten. The culinary purveyors teamed up with Rosengarten - the Television Food Network's ``Taste'' show host, free-lance writer, cookbook author and Gourmet magazine restaurant columnist - to develop a 600-recipe volume so people can cook what they've sampled and eaten in restaurants, takeout counters and various other places over the last two decades.

``It's a culinary sort of trip down memory lane of many things that became popular and were developed in the last 20 years,'' DeLuca said. Rosengarten developed the recipes with Dean and DeLuca tasting as time permitted. Rosengarten was always concocting something, DeLuca said.

Many of the recipes use food items such as goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, plum tomatoes, olives, fresh basil and tarragon, capers, fennel, mache, radicchio, walnut oil, shallots, prosciutto, Fontina cheese and rice vinegar, which have found acceptance with adventuresome cooks and diners.

What's in store

Although the 564-page book's chapters range from salads, soups and sandwiches, to pizza and pasta, vegetables, rice, beans and grains, to fish, meats and sauces, it's noticeably devoid of any sweets or desserts - a big disappointment for this sweet fancier and no doubt others.

``Desserts are going to be another book,'' responded DeLuca when queried about the omission.

Some of the book's recipes are quick and easy, while others are more time-consuming and complex. But several sound tempting and worthy of a try, such as Shellfish Risotto With Saffron; Eggplant, Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Terrine; Grilled Salmon on Rye With Sauerkraut and Horseradish Cream; Italian Lentil and Wild Mushroom Soup; Potato Galette; Roasted Leg of Lamb With Onion Jam on Brioche; Penne With Roasted Tomatoes and Fennel; Pugliese Beet Salad With Fresh Mint; Chicken and Porcini Pate; Roasted Onion and Pomegranate Molasses Relish; and Garlic Roasted New Potato Salad.

You'll even find some variations of the most popular takeout items currently on the store's menu: garlic mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, roasted game birds (including duck) and salads.

Besides recipes, the book contains a wealth of general information relative to buying fresh foodstuffs as well as cooking them. The absence of illustrations or photographs and the extensive amount of type makes the book somewhat unappealing and boring - until you read the names of some of the recipes that make you hungry for a taste.

Regarding the amount of seasoning in the recipes, DeLuca recommended adjusting it to personal taste. It depends on the condition of the meats, vegetables and other foods (how much water they contain, etc.) as to how much seasoning will be required to balance the flavor of the dish.

Following is a selection of recipes from ``The Dean & DeLuca Cookbook.''

DEAN & DeLUCA'S TUNA SANDWICH WITH

CARROTS, RED ONION

AND PARSLEY

We sympathize with the purists when it comes to tuna salad sandwiches: the combo of canned tuna, just a little mayo and just good white bread, is an eternal verity. But we have developed this fancier variation that is also delicious. It preserves the tuna flavor, it's not too rich, it's loaded with crunchy vegetables and it flies out of the store every day.

4 cans (6 ounces EACH) chunk white tuna in water, drained

6 tablespoons finely chopped carrots

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion

6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

6 tablespoons finely chopped celery

3 green onions, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

1 small clove garlic, crushed

3 tablespoons lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

6 rolls

Lettuce and tomato as accompaniments

Put tuna in a large bowl. Mash. Add carrots, red onion, parsley, celery and green onions.

Place mayonnaise in a small bowl. Add garlic and lemon juice. Add mayonnaise mixture to tuna. Mix together. Add salt and pepper.

Serve on rolls with lettuce and tomato. Makes 6 sandwiches.

DEAN & DeLUCA ROQUEFORT SPECIAL

Well, you may say, if I've got a piece of Roquefort, why not eat it by itself? But you'd be at odds with all thBe blue-cheese lovers who keep buying this great sandwich at the store. The combination of flavors and textures is remarkable - something like a fruit, cheese and bread course in one manageable package.

1 pound Roquefort cheese OR other kinds of oily blue cheese

1/2 cup butter

1 tablespoon brandy

1 teaspoon finely minced garlic

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup coarsley chopped walnuts

2 Belgian endives

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 Granny Smith apples

1 red bell pepper

16 slices walnut raisin bread

Combine Roquefort, butter and brandy in a food processor and process until smooth. Add garlic, parsley and 1/4 cup walnuts. Pulse until just combined. Place in a small bowl and set aside.

Cut off root ends of endives and cut each in 1/2 lengthwise. Slice into thin strips, place in a small bowl and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

Peel apples, cut in 1/2, remove core, cut apples into thin half-moon slices and place in a small bowl.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Reserve both endive strips and apples in refrigerator.

Put bell pepper over an open fire or under preheated broiler. Turn and sear all sides until skin is black. Place pepper in a sealed paper bag 5 to 10 minutes. Remove charred skin from pepper. Cut in 1/2, remove and discard seeds and ribs. Cut pepper into thin strips. Set aside.

Spread 1/2 of Roquefort mixture on 8 bread slices. Top each slice with an equal amount of endives, apple slices and red pepper strips. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup walnuts. Spread remaining bread slices with remaining Roquefort mixture and close sandwiches. Makes 8 sandwiches.

PENNE WITH ROASTED TOMATOES AND FENNEL

Here's a pasta salad that has the best possible recommendation: it tastes like a pasta dish, not a pasta salad.

Water

Salt

3 pounds penne

4 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes

3/4 cup plus 6 tablespoons olive oil

Pepper to taste

3 large fennel bulbs, thinly sliced (about 6 Bcups)

3 medium onions, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 1/2 cups chopped, mixed, pitted olives

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

6 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh dill

Bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Add a handful of salt. Cook penne about 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain and refresh under cold water. (If pasta sticks together, add a few tablespoons olive oil and gently toss.) Set aside in a large bowl.

Remove stems of tomatoes and cut in sixths lengthwise. Put on a roasting pan, brush with 3 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast in preheated 400-degree oven 15 minutes or until tomatoes are very soft. Remove pan from oven. Set tomatoes aside on a plate to cool.

Spread fennel and onion slices evenly on roasting pan. Brush with 3 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes, or until softened but not mushy. When done, remove from oven and set aside.

Add remaining 3/4 cup olive oil and garlic to a small pan and heat slowly. Once hot, remove from heat and add olives.

Add olive oil mixture, balsamic vinegar, cooled tomatoes, fennel, onions and dill to bowl of pasta. Mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 18 servings.

GREEN OLIVE SAUCE WITH FRESH MINT

This is a new, uncooked sauce that is for olive lovers only. The intensity of the olive flavor will vary, depending on the type of olives you use - but if you find it strong, you can always tame it by adding more cheese or more of the pasta-cooking water to the sauce. You may also want to experiment with the ratio of sauce to pasta until you discover which level of flavor works best for you. We love this sauce on thick, long pasta, like perciatelli.

6 ounces large green olives, such as manzanilla, plus a few additional olives, chopped for garnish

1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/4 cup packed, fresh mint leaves plus additional for garnish

6 tablespoons grated ParmiBgiano-Reggiano plus additional as an accompaniment

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Pit olives and place olive flesh, garlic, 1/4 cup mint leaves, 6 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano and olive oil in a work bowl of a food processor. Puree.

Just before serving, add about 1/2 cup hot pasta cooking water to puree (add additional pasta cooking water until desired consistency is reached).

In a large bowl, toss with pasta. (You may not need the full amount of sauce; pasta should be lightly dressed. If it seems too dry, add a little additional cooking water.) Toss pasta with additional mint leaves, torn in large pieces.

Divide pasta among 4 to 5 individual bowls and top with additional grated cheese. Garnish with additional mint leaves and additional green olives, if desired. Makes enough sauce for 1 pound dried pasta.

TUNA SAUCE WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

AND KALAMATA OLIVES

This is a terrific uncooked pasta sauce, easy to make and brimming with flavor. Serve with linguine or spaghetti.

1/2 cup canned tuna packed in olive oil

1/4 cup minced marinated sun-dried tomatoes

8 kalamata olives, pitted and minced

2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus additional for squeezing on pasta

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons very finely minced fresh parsley plus addition for garnish

Drain off olive oil from canned tuna. Place tuna in a small bowl. Add sun-dried tomatoes, olives, lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil. Mash together with a fork until fairly smooth.

When ready to serve, blend with 3/4 cup hot cooking water from pasta pot.

In a large bowl, toss tuna sauce with hot pasta. (If pasta with sauce seems a little dry, add a little additional cooking water.)

Divide pasta among 4 to 5 individual bowls. Squeeze a little additional lemon juice on pasta in each bowl. Top with finely minced parsley. Makes enough sauce for 1 pound dried pasta.

PUGLIESE BEET SALAD WITH MINT

We were served this marvelous combination of flavors in BPuglia, where restaurant meals always begin with more than a dozen vegetable dishes. Now, we're seeing salads like it at lots of new Italian restaurants in America. The flavor of beets and fresh mint together is simply sensational.

Water

Salt

2 pounds beets (weigh after removing roots and greens), unpeeled 

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons coarse salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup shredded fresh mint

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook beets until fork tender, about 30 minutes for small beets. Remove from water and set aside until cool enough to handle. Slip off skins and cut beets into 1/4-inch slices.

Whisk vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, coarse salt and pepper together in a large bowl. Add beets and toss thoroughly. Gently fold mint into beets. Adjust seasonings and serve at room temperature. Makes 6 to 8 side dish servings.

EGGPLANT MADRAS

Eggplant deliciously soaks up the warm spices of Indian cooking.

4 1/2 pounds eggplants

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup minced yellow onions

4 large garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons chopped green chile

3 tablespoons chopped OR grated fresh ginger

2 teaspoons coarse salt

1 tablespoon fenugreek 

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds

2 cans (28 ounces EACH) crushed tomatoes

3/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro

Freshly grated nutmeg to taste

Cut eggplants in 1/2 lengthwise and place, cut sides down, on an oiled sheet pan.

Roast in preheated 400-degree oven 20 minutes or until eggplants are tender but not mushy. Cut eggplants into 1-inch cubes and reserve.

In a large saucepan, heat oil over moderate heat. Add onions, garlic, chile, ginger and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.

While onions are cooking, toast fenugreek, coriander and cumin in a dry skillet over moderate heat 2 minutes or until Bspices are fragrant. Using a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle, grind seeds into a fine powder.

Add spices to a saucepan and cook 2 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes and simmer, covered, 30 minutes. Remove cover and simmer another 30 minutes or until tomato sauce is reduced by about 1/3.

Add reserved eggplant and 1/2 cup chopped cilantro. Simmer gently about 10 minutes to heat eggplant through. Adjust seasonings. Garnish with remaining cilantro leaves and nutmeg. Makes 8 side-dish servings.

BROILED HALIBUT STEAKS WITH

MUSTARD COATING

This is a supremely simple way to cook halibut - perfect for showing off the intrinsic quality of the fish. Make sure you get a thick, ultra-fresh, first-rate steak from your fishmonger. It may be served simply, with boiled potatoes. Or, you may drizzle a little oil over the cooked steaks - extra-virgin olive oil works nicely, as does mustard oil, as does white truffle oil.

1 1/3 cups Dijon mustard

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for rubbing a broiler pan

Salt and pepper to taste

4 halibut steaks (EACH about 1 1/2 inches thick and 1 1/4 pounds)

Place mustard in a bowl and slowly whisk in olive oil. Mixture should be smooth.

Rub a broiler pan with a little olive oil. Salt and pepper halibut steaks to taste, then place on pan. Brush mustard mixture on tops and sides of steaks, using about 2/3 of mixture. It will make a faily thick layer.

Place steaks 3 to 4 inches from heat under preheated broiler. Broil until tops are browned and puffy, about 6 to 8 minutes. Turn steaks, brush remaining mustard mixture on tops and broil until tops are fairly brown and puffy, about 6 minutes.

Remove steaks, place on individual plastes and serve immediately. Makes 4 large main-course servings.

SPINACH-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH

COGNAC AND TARRAGON

Quick-cooking chicken breasts in a hot oven - then passsing them under a broiler - is another way to keep them juicy. In this recipe, the delicious presence of spinacBh under the skin makes them juicier still.

1 pound fresh spinach

Salt and pepper to taste

Freshly grated nutmeg to taste

4 boneless chicken breast halves, skin on (about 6 ounces EACH)

1 large garlic clove, smashed

1/4 cup Cognac

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Fresh tarragon leaves for garnish

Coarse salt for spinkling chicken (optional)

Cut off root ends of spinach leaves, about 2 inches up from root. Discard roots. Rinse spinach leaves in several changes of water. Without drying leaves, place in a large pot over high heat. Cook about 3 minutes, spinach should be soft, but still bright green.

Place wilted spinach in a colander and immediately refresh with cold water. When spinach is cool, squeeze out water with your hands. Place dried spinach in a bowl and season very well with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Rub chicken breasts all over with smashed garlic clove, discard garlic. Season breasts well with salt and pepper, on both sides and under skin. Sprinkle breasts on both sides with most of Cognac.

Divide spinach mixture into 4 parts and stuff each breast under skin with 1/4 of spinach. Smooth spinach out so it is distributed evenly over each breast. Smear 1 teaspoon butter on skin of each breast.

Place breasts in a roasting pan and place pan in oven.

Bake in preheated 450-degree oven 5 minutes. Remove breasts and place under preheated broiler. Breasts are done when skin has tunrned golden and white meat is just a trace rosy-pink, about 5 minutes more.

Place breasts on dinner plates. Sprinkle each with a few drops of Cognac. Top each with a knob of butter, about 1 teaspoon per breast and garnish butter with fresh tarragon leaves. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

PAN-FRIED DOUBLE THICK CHOPS WITH

OLIVE-ANCHOVY-ORANGE

BUTTER

Double-thick loin lamb chops from a great butcher are so good that little extra flavor is required. But the pats of butter that go on the chops in thBis recipe are certainly worth the effort, because they support the flavor of the lamb - and have the additional virtue of transporting you immediately to the south of France. This is a really fast and easy recipe that will stand up perfectly at an elegant dinner party.

OLIVE-ANCHOVY-ORANGE BUTTER:

3 tablespoons shallots

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons water

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped Mediterranean black olives

5 anchovy fillets, minced

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

3/4 teaspoon minced orange peel

Salt and pepper to taste

LAMB CHOPS:

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons butter

4 double-thick loin lamb chops, trimmed and brought to room temperature (EACH about 2 inches thick and 1/2 pound)

Salt and pepper to taste

Small rosemary sprigs for garnish

For Olive-Anchovy-Orange Butter, cook together shallots, balsamic vinegar and water in skillet over moderate heat, stirring until dry, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a bowl stir together shallot mixture with butter, olives, anchovies, rosemary, orange peel, salt and pepper with a fork until well combined.

In a piece of wax paper or plastic wrap, shape butter mixture into a 1-inch-wide log and refrigerate until firm enough to slice.

For Lamb Chops, in a large, heavy skillet, heat oil and butter over moderately-high heat until hot, but not smoking. Season chops generously with salt and pepper and cook, turning occasionally with tongs, to desired doneness, about 15 minutes for medium-rare.

To serve, arrange each chop in center of a plate. Slice olive-anchovy-orange butter into 8 rounds and arrange 2 rounds on each chop. Garnish with a small rosemary sprig. Makes 4 servings.

EGGPLANT, RED PEPPER AND GOAT CHEESETERRINE

It started in the '80s at some trendy restaurant somewhere; within a few years, every creative chef in America was making his or her version of the eggplant, red Bpepper and goat cheese terrine. It's now an eggplant classic that fully deserves its status . . . and now deserves the attention of home chefs. Use a very sharp knife to slice the terrine when it's done. Some chefs even use electric knives and slice it fairly thin. It's delicious all by itself - but very often you'll find it drizzled with some sort of herb-infused oil, often basil oil.

2 large eggplants (about 1 pound EACH)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 head garlic

2 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

4 red bell peppers

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

13 ounces mild, soft goat cheese, at room temperature

1/4 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

Slice eggplants lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips, cutting as evenly as possible. Place strips on well oiled baking sheets and brush strips with olive oil, reserving 1/2 teaspoon.

Roast in preheated 425-degree oven 20 minutes until just tender. Set aside to cool.

Cut off top head of garlic, exposing a cross section of each clove. Wrap garlic in foil, sprinkle with reserved 1/2 teaspoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt. Roast in 425-degree oven 30 minutes or until cloves are soft. Set aside to cool.

Roast peppers over an open flame or under preheated broiler until skins are black, turning peppers to char skins evenly. Place peppers in a paper bag, close bag and let stand 30 minutes. Wipe charred skins off with paper towels. Carefully remove stems and seeds, leaving flesh in one piece if possible. Flatten peppers on a sheet pan (peppers will tear naturally into a few pieces). Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt.

Remove garlic cloves from their skins. Place in a mixing bowl with goat cheese, cream, thyme, 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt, black pepper and nutmeg. Beat well with a wooden spoon, mixing thoroughly.

Lightly oil a terrine (about 12x4x3 inches) and line with plastic wrap, leaving at least 6 iBnches of plastic wrap hanging over edges on all sides. Line bottom with about 1/6 of eggplant strips and line sides of terrine with another 1/6 of eggplant strips. (Try to fit slices in as neatly as possible; a little trimming may be necessary.)

Arrange a layer of red pepper pieces on top of eggplant, using about 1/4 of peppers (trim peppers to width of terrine, so they fit neatly). Spread 1/4 of cheese mixture evenly on top of peppers. Repeaat layering process 3 times, finishing with a final layer of eggplant. Trim eggplant to fit perfectly. Fold plastic wrap tightly over top and cover terrine with its lid. Place terrine in a larger baking pan.

Bake in preheated 400-degree oven. Before closing door, fill baking pan with enough hot water to come 3/4 up sides of terrine. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes or until internal temperature of terrine is 160 degrees F. Cool and refrigerate. About 1 hour before serving, remove terrine from refrigerator. Grab plastic wrap on sides of terrine and carefully lift to loosen terrine from pan. When loosened, invert terrine from pan. When loosened, invert terrine onto a baking sheet and carefully remove plastic wrap. Let terrine stand out about 1 hour, so that it warms slightly. Slice off messy ends using a sharp knife. Discard ends.

Slice remaining terrine into 3/8-inch-thick slices and serve 2 slices per person. Makes 12 to 16 first-course servings.

CAPTION(S):

3 Photos

Photo: (1--Color) David Rosengarten, who collaborated with Joel Dean and Giorgio DeLuca on ``The Dean & DeLuca Cookbook,'' presents Spinach-Stuffed Chicken Breasts With Cognac and Tarragon.

(2--Color) PUGLIESE BEET SALAD WITH FRESH MINT HAILS FROM PUGLIA, ITALY, AND CAN BE FOUND IN `THE DEAN & DELUCA COOKBOOK'

(3) Pushing spinach under the breast skin gives a moist texture to Spinach-Stuffed Chicken Breasts With Cognac and Tarragon.

David Sprague/Daily News