DINNER PARTIES 1, 2, 3.

Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor

ROZANNE GOLD has staked her culinary career on three-ingredient dishes. The chef and restaurant consultant has become known as the ``diva of culinary minimalism.''

Having written four books revolving around the three-ingredient theme - ``Recipes 1-2-3,'' ``Recipes 1-2-3 Menu Cookbook,'' ``Entertaining 1-2-3'' and ``Healthy 1-2-3'' - and with a fifth - ``Desserts 1-2-3'' - scheduled for release in April, Gold has become a trendsetter, especially in these times when cooks want to get in and out of the kitchen fast.

Many of her creations - salt, pepper and water are not included in the three items - make dazzling dinner-party fare.

``When it comes to entertaining, the more you do it, the easier it gets,'' says Gold, who prefers serving four- or five-course sit-down dinners to friends.

These days she serves just two or three hors d'oeuvres to start instead of seven or eight as in the past. And for fun, she always serves two different desserts - placing alternating desserts in front of diners at the table - or serving the desserts in two courses.

``It's hard to do simple well,'' says the Brooklyn resident who has been concocting three-ingredient recipes for the past seven years. ``You must use quality, in-season ingredients for best results. Less is more.''

Although Gold uses some prepared items - most often ones that chefs would really use - like puff pastry, pesto sauce, flavored oils, hoisin sauce, sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, wasabi powder, vinegars (like Spanish sherry vinegar and Japanese rice wine vinegar), tandoori paste, pomegranate molasses and various other ingredients - to cut down on preparation time - her techniques and flavor combinations bump the results up a notch.

Often you can't tell how special one of her recipes will be just by reading the ingredients. For instance, the ``Rib-Eye Roast, Gravlax-Style'' title doesn't tell the whole story. The beef is cured overnight in dill, sugar, salt and pepper usually used for salmon and then roasted, yielding tender and rosy slices of meat with a sweet and salty taste and crispy crust.

When her first book, ``Recipes 1-2-3,'' came out in 1996, she anticipated a trend toward simplification, using the best ingredients and maximizing flavor. But cooking with just a few ingredients was a gamble in the beginning, says Gold. Even though she believed her idea was sound, she wasn't sure her work would be viewed seriously. Her gamble paid off. She has won two James Beard Awards for her ``1-2-3'' books.

Gold grew up in New York in a food- and restaurant-loving family. Her mother is a great Hungarian cook. She started cooking popovers, grilled-cheese sandwiches and fried doughnuts at the age of 5. Even now she reminisces about her mother's cabbage and noodles, a favorite of her youth. Although she majored in and received a bachelor's degree in psychology and education, she pursued her love of cooking.

``I've concentrated on vivid, unadulterated flavors that are both exciting and satisfying,'' she writes. ``It is my belief that simplicity will amplify the impact of any dish because flavors are exponentially enhanced. Most foods are delicious in themselves: Their taste only has to be revealed.''

Gold believes the look of a dish is as important as its taste - and now her garnishes are an integral part of the three ingredients.

``I've learned to exploit an ingredient to its max.''

WASABI-STUFFED SHRIMP-IN-A-SNAP

32 very large shrimp (about 2 pounds), cooked in their shells

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

2 tablespoons wasabi powder (available in Asian markets and some specialty food stores)

Buy already-cooked shrimp from your fish store or cook it yourself. To prepare your own, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add uncooked shrimp. Reduce heat to medium and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until shrimp are pink. Place in colander under cold running water 1 minute. Remove shells, leaving tails intact.

Place cream cheese in food processor. In a small bowl, mix wasabi with 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons cold water to form a thick paste. Add to food processor. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt (or more to taste). Process until smooth.

Split shrimp down back, cutting almost all the way through. Using a small spoon or pastry bag, stuff each with 1 1/2 teaspoons cream cheese. Press sides gently together. Serve with additional wasabi paste, if desired. Makes 32 shrimp.

From ``Entertaining 1-2-3.''

PICKLED PINK SHRIMP-IN-A-SNAP

32 very large shrimp (about 2 pounds), cooked in their shells

1 bunch fresh cilantro

1 cup Japanese pickled ginger, with juice (available in Asian markets)

Buy shrimp already cooked or prepare as in recipe above. Wash and dry cilantro. Split shrimp down back, cutting almost all way through. Fill with small pieces of pickled ginger and cilantro leaves. Drain remaining ginger and place juice in small ramekin for dunking. Makes 32 shrimp.

From ``Entertaining 1-2-3.''

FANCY MIXED GREENS, TANGERINE VINAIGRETTE

6 ounces mixed salad greens (about 6 cups)

5 large tangerines OR oranges

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Wash greens and dry thoroughly. Place in a large bowl. Grate rind of 1 or 2 tangerines to yield 1 teaspoon peel. Set peel aside. Cut 1 or 2 tangerines in half and squeeze 6 tablespoons juice. Place juice in a large bowl and whisk in olive oil. Add peel and sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Peel rind from remaining tangerines and using a small sharp knife, remove all white pith. Carefully break tangerines apart to separate segments. (If using oranges, cut along membranes to release segments.)

Add segments to bowl with greens. Toss gently with dressing and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve on large chilled plates. Makes 4 servings.

From ``Healthy 1-2-3.''

PISTACHIO-CRUSTED SALMON

3-pound side of salmon, skin removed

1 heaping cup (5 ounces) shelled unsalted pistachios

1/2 cup OR more prepared pesto

Using tweezers or your fingers, remove any bones running down fish. Place fish on a baking sheet. Put pistachios in bowl of food processor and process until coarsely ground. Do not overprocess, as you want small, discernible pieces, not powder.

Spread 1/2 cup pesto thickly on top of salmon, draining off most oil from pesto as you go. You may need more pesto if salmon is not thickly and completely covered. Pack ground pistachios on pesto to cover fish evenly. You should have a thick nut crust. Remove any loose nuts that have fallen on baking sheet to prevent burning. Bake in preheated 375-degree oven 22 to 24 minutes or until desired doneness. Do not overcook. It is important that fish be juicy and moist. Let cool 2 to 3 minutes. Using a very sharp knife, cut into 6 to 8 portions. Serve immediately pouring any pan juices over fish. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

From ``Entertaining 1-2-3.''

SPRING VEGETABLES A LA VAPEUR

13/4 pound fresh snow peas

3/4 pound fresh green beans 

3 medium zucchini (about 1 pound)

Remove little ``tails'' from snow peas. Trim ends of green beans. Using a small sharp knife, cut beans in half lengthwise. Rinse snow peas and beans in colander and drain thoroughly. Rinse zucchini and dry. Cut 2 zucchini into 1/3-inch cubes. (The best way to do this is to cut zucchini lengthwise into 3 slices, cut each slice lengthwise into 3 pieces and then cut crosswise into small cubes.)

Cut remaining 1 zucchini into 1-inch pieces and place in small saucepan. Cover with water and add 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook 15 minutes, until zucchini is very soft. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cooked zucchini to bowl of food processor, reserving cooking water. Process until very smooth and creamy, adding almost all cooking water. The sauce will be thick. You will have about 2/3 cup.

Bring large pot of water fitted with a steamer basket to a boil. Place snow peas and green beans in basket. Place zucchini cubes on top. Cover and steam 7 minutes. Lightly salt vegetables and transfer to a platter. Cover with zucchini sauce. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve immediately. (This is also delicious cold.) Makes 6 servings.

From ``Entertaining 1-2-3.''

VERY LEMONY MASHED POTATOES

3 pounds large baking and boiling potatoes, combined

3 large lemons

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Peel potatoes using a vegetable peeler. Remove any dark spots. Cut potatoes into eighths and place in a large pot with cover. Add enough cold water just to cover potatoes. Add 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a rapid boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook 20 to 25 minutes, until potatoes are soft but not falling apart.

Meanwhile, grate rind of lemons on medium holes of box grater so that you have 2 teaspoons grated peel. Cut lemons in half and squeeze 2/3 cup juice. Place juice in small nonstick skillet and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup. Set aside.

When potatoes are done, drain in colander, saving 1 cup cooking water. Put potatoes in a large bowl and, using a potato masher, mash until smooth, slowly adding hot cooking water. Add grated lemon peel and reduced lemon juice. Add butter. Continue to mash until creamy. Add salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste. Return potatoes to pot and heat gently before serving. Makes 6 or more servings (about 6 cups).

From ``Entertaining 1-2-3.''

GIANDUIA TORTA

2 1/2 cups shelled hazelnuts, with skins

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream 

1 pound semisweet chocolate chips

Place hazelnuts in large nonstick skillet and toast over medium heat 5 minutes, until nuts begin to brown and smell faintly nutty. Shake pan back and forth to distribute nuts. Rub nuts in a towel to remove as many of blistered skins as possible.

Place scant cup warm nuts in bowl of food processor. Process until smooth paste forms, adding 1 to 2 teaspoons water to make this easier. You will have approximately 3/4 cup hazelnut paste.

Heat 1 cup cream in a small heavy saucepan until it almost comes to a boil. Reduce heat. Add chocolate chips and stir constantly with wooden spoon until chocolate is completely melted and is smooth and glossy. Add pinch salt. Keeping heat low, add hazelnut paste and stir thoroughly. Remove from heat. Fold in 3/4 cup toasted hazelnuts.

Line an 8 1/2-inch springform pan with a round of waxed paper or parchment paper. Spray with nonstick vegetable spray. Pour in chocolate mixture. Finely chop remaining 3/4 cup nuts and scatter on top. Let cool completely, then refrigerate for several hours. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Cut with a sharp knife warmed in hot water and dried. Whip remaining 1/2 cup heavy cream and serve with torte. Makes 8 servings.

From ``Entertaining 1-2-3.''

COCOA CLOUDS

6 extra-large egg whites

6 tablespoons good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder

6 tablespoons superfine sugar

In bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites with a pinch salt until soft peaks form. Mix cocoa and sugar together and slowly add to whites. Beat until stiff peaks form.

Place a piece of parchment paper on baking sheet. Drop a heaping 1 1/2 tablespoons batter on sheet to make each cookie. Bake in preheated 250- degree oven 1 hour. Let cool on sheet. Makes 28 cookies.

From ``Entertaining 1-2-3.''

CHERRY TOMATO BRUSCHETTA 

1 small loaf semolina bread

2 pints (4 cups) small cherry tomatoes

8 tablespoons garlic oil, store-bought OR homemade

Cut bread into 16 to 20 (1/2-inch-thick) slices. Place in preheated 375- degree oven and toast about 5 minutes on each side, until golden and rather crisp. Place toasted bread on platter.

Rinse tomatoes and dry well, removing any stems. Cut tomatoes in half through stem ends. Heat 5 tablespoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until just softened, about 5 minutes. Add pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Spoon mixture onto toasted bread and drizzle with remaining oil. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and arrange on rustic-looking platter. Makes 20 bruschetta.

From ``Entertaining 1-2-3.''

ROASTED ASPARAGUS AND PROVOLONE SALAD

1/2 pounds fresh medium asparagus

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 ounces provolone cheese, 1/8-inch-thick slices

Trim woody bottoms from asparagus and discard. Wash asparagus, then cut into thirds on bias. Toss with 1/2 tablespoon oil to coat lightly. Place asparagus on a shallow baking sheet in one layer. Roast in a preheated 500-degree oven 10 minutes, shaking sheet once or twice to prevent sticking. Remove from oven and place asparagus in a bowl.

While asparagus is in oven, cut cheese into thin julienne sticks, approximately 1 1/2 inches long by 1/8 inch wide. Add to asparagus. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Toss gently. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss again. Serve while warm. Makes 4 servings.

From ``Recipes 1-2-3 Menu Cookbook.''

PENNE WITH ZUCCHINI, ZUCCHINI-GARLIC SAUCE

4 medium zucchini, about 1 1/2 pounds

4 tablespoons garlic olive oil, store-bought OR homemade

8 ounces penne pasta

Rinse zucchini and cut 1 1/2 zucchini into thick rounds. Cut rounds in half and place in a small saucepan. Add enough salted water to just cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover pan. Cook 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer zucchini to a blender. Add 1/2 cup cooking water and 1 teaspoon garlic olive oil. Process until very smooth. Add kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Set aside.

Trim ends of remaining zucchini and discard. Cut zucchini as meticulously as possible into 1/4-inch cubes.

Heat remaining garlic olive oil in a large nonstick skillet, add zucchini cubes, and saute over high heat until zucchini softens and turns golden. Add a liberal amount of salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rapid boil. Add pasta and cook 12 to 14 minutes until pasta is tender, a bit longer than for al dente.

Drain pasta thoroughly. Divide among 4 shallow soup bowls. Distribute cooked zucchini and oil evenly over pasta. Heat zucchini-garlic sauce and pour over pasta. Add a grinding of pepper. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

From ``Healthy 1-2-3.''

RIB-EYE, GRAVLAX-STYLE

1 (3 1/2-pound) rib-eye roast, rolled and tied (about 6 1/2 inches long and 5 inches in diameter)

2 large bunches fresh dill, enough to yield about 1 1/2 cups

3 tablespoons sugar

Pat beef dry with a paper towel. Wash dill and dry thoroughly. Finely chop dill to yield 1 cup, firmly packed. Save remaining dill for garnish.

Mix sugar, 1/4 cup kosher salt and 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper in a small bowl. Coat all sides of meat with this mixture, rubbing it into surface of roast. Pat chopped dill on top, bottom and sides of roast. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap.

Place beef in a small roasting pan and weight down with a baking sheet topped with several heavy cans or with a water-filled teapot. Place in refrigerator and marinate 18 to 24 hours, but no longer.

When ready to cook, remove roast from refrigerator and remove plastic wrap. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Let roast stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Scrape all dill and all spice mixture from roast. Place roast in a shallow, heavy roasting pan. Bake about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reaches 130 degrees F for rare to medium-rare. Remove from oven. Transfer meat to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Carve meat into 1/2-inch-thick slices and garnish with remaining sprigs of dill. Makes 10 servings.

From ``Healthy 1-2-3.''

CONFIT OF CARROTS AND LEMON

1 1/4 pounds medium-large organic carrots (weighed after removing carrot tops)

1 large lemon

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Peel carrots. Cut carrots on bias into 1/4-inch-thick, long oval slices. Place carrots in a 4-quart saucepan. Cut lemon in half. Slice one half into thin rounds and add to pot. Squeeze other half and add juice to pot with oil, 1/4 cup water, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 6 black peppercorns.

Bring to a boil. Cover pot and reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cook 35 to 40 minutes. Do not lift lid. Shake pot back and forth several times during cooking. Uncover and stir. Add kosher salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Garnish serving platter with sprigs of lacy carrot tops. Makes 4 servings.

From ``Healthy 1-2-3.''

WARM BANANA TARTS

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (8 3/4 ounces)

1/2 cup good-quality apricot jam

3 small, firm, ripe bananas

Thaw pastry according to package directions. While pastry is cold, roll out with rolling pin to stretch dough approximately 1/4-inch longer and 1/4-inch wider. Cut dough into quarters so that you have 4 squares. Place a piece of pastry in each of 4 (4 1/2-inch) fluted removable-bottom tart pans. Press down with your fingers to secure dough in pan. Press pastry up sides of tart pans and remove excess dough by moving rolling pin on tops of pans. Or trim with a knife. Prick bottom of pastry several times with a fork.

Melt jam and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan over low heat. Slice bananas into very thin pieces, then arrange in tart pans in an overlapping pattern, in 2 layers.

Using a pastry brush, cover tops of tarts lightly, but thoroughly, with melted jam, being careful not to let jam drip over edges or it will be difficult to remove pastry from tart pans. Bake tarts in preheated 375-degree oven 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Lightly brush tops of tarts with more melted jam. Let cool in pans. Remove tarts from pans before serving. Makes 4 tarts.

From ``Recipes 1-2-3 Menu Cookbook.''

CAPTION(S):

5 photos

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) ENTERTAIN with ease

With three ingredients, you can deliver dazzling fare

(2 -- color) Confit of Carrots and Lemon

From ``Healthy 1-2-3''

(3 -- 4 -- color) For a festive dinner, serve Pistachio-Crusted Salmon, left, with mashed potatoes and spring vegetables. Finish with Gianduia Torta and Cocoa Clouds, above.

From ``Entertaining 1-2-3.''

(5 -- color) no caption (Warm Banana Tart)

From ``Recipes 1-2-3 Menu Cookbook''