ON YOUR MARK . . . GET SET . . . COOK! (IN 30 MINUTES OR LESS).

Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor

Most of us who cook during the week are preoccupied with finding dishes to crank out for dinner in under 30 minutes. We want to beat the clock in a fashion similar to the old game-show strategy. And we want imaginative fast fixes beyond our routine standbys.

For the past couple of years, cookbook authors have been addressing the topic at a furious, ever-increasing pace. One of the latest to join the quick-cooking bandwagon is Sam Gugino.

His ``Cooking to Beat the Clock, Delicious Inspired Meals in 15 Minutes'' (Chronicle; $16.95) grew out of his desire to have good and interesting food at the end of the day. ``I'm not satisfied with a bowl of cereal for dinner,'' he said.

Gugino, a New York-based food writer and former chef with more than two decades of cooking experience, may be a little optimistic about his 15-minute time frame to turn out a dish. Some of his ingredient lists seem a little lengthy, and inexperienced cooks may lack the skills to work so quickly. But even if it takes an average or novice cook, who is not familiar with the recipes and techniques, 10 or 15 minutes longer, we're still not talking about a long time in the kitchen. ``And the more you do the dishes, the faster and more into the rhythm you'll get,'' Gugino pointed out.

``I'm into cooking from scratch using fresh ingredients whenever possible and whenever they make sense - and into using convenience items whenever they make sense and the quality is good,'' he said. For instance he often relies on canned beans, canned tomatoes, canned chicken broth, frozen or canned corn in soups or chowders, canned artichoke hearts, jarred roasted red peppers and frozen peas. ``Use as many convenience products as you think appropriate to your time and your budget.''

Other shortcuts: Use cut-up produce from the supermarket salad bar, dried capellini (a long and very thin pasta that cooks quickly) and fresh pastas. For speed, 90 percent of the dishes are cooked on top of the stove.

His premise is that each of the book's 60 recipes could be a meal for an adult during the week or on the weekend. ``These are meals, not 15-minute recipes, geared to the way we eat today,'' he stressed.

Gugino has tried to make each creation - such as Bouillabaise, Chicken Curry With Tropical Fruit and Basmati Rice, Middle Eastern Lamb With Cucumber Salad and Spaghetti Carbonara - satisfying enough in taste and amount to stand on its own.

The foundation of his approach involves four concepts: flavor, organization, focus and creativity. ``They will enable you not just to pick out a recipe here and there, but to develop a lifelong strategy for meals that are fast, faster, the fastest you have ever made.''

Flavor means keeping a well-stocked pantry (including items in the refrigerator and freezer) with ingredients of good intensity of taste and texture (so you can use fewer of them) such as sesame oil, assorted olive oils and vinegars, capers, Dijon mustard, Asian fish sauce, etc. Organization means having the proper equipment handy to speed up meal preparation while focus refers to paying attention to labor-saving details to turn the meal out fast. Creativity involves thinking about strategies for improvising and preparing meals in minutes.

Unlike some of the cookbooks on fast cooking, Gugino's is not dependent on cooking ahead to get a jump start on weekday meals.

Other volumes that have popped up to help win the weekday battle against time and monotony include:

``Desperation Dinners! Home-Cooked Meals for Frantic Families in 20 Minutes Flat,'' by Beverly Mills & Alicia Ross (Workman Publishing; $13.95). Some recipes appear more lengthy than others, but one of the authors' goals was to keep peeling and chopping to a minimum, so most of the ingredients simply need to be tossed into the dish being prepared. Taste of the dish is the primary consideration. ``If the meal doesn't taste good, you're not going to eat it,'' write the authors, who are not professional chefs. You'll find lots of appealing ideas for stews, skillet meals, entree salads, pasta, breads, breakfast for dinner, easy entrees and desserts.

``Jane Butel's Quick and Easy Southwestern Cookbook,'' by Jane Butel (Harmony Books; $23) is a must for those who love Southwest or Tex-Mex cuisine. More than 100 simple recipes for spicy, colorful dishes bursting with flavor are offered - and all can be made in 20 minutes or less. Most require no more than five, readily available ingredients. Ready for Chile Rubbed, Grilled Rib Eye Steak, Chicken Breasts Baked in Salsa, Turkey Chili With a Margarita Splash, Quickie Tamale Pie or Spicy Hot Chocolate Mousse? Head for the kitchen.

``The Working Stiff Cookbook, Great Food! Easy Recipes!'' by Bob Sloan (Chronicle Books; $15.95). To avoid takeout or home meal replacement or frozen dinners as a dinner option, Sloan, the father of two, gives strategies and recipes to get a decent, delicious, home-cooked meal on the table when you have little excess time or energy. Peruse it for some simple, flavorful and fun main-course options (along with a few side dishes and desserts) like 10-Minute Salmon, Stir-Fry Furioso, Grandma Sally's Easy Broccoli Soup and Jerk Skirt. The book has chapter tabs and a spiral binding making it easy to use.

``Guerrilla Cooking,'' by Mel Walsh (St. Martin's Press; $19.95). The title is catchy and the contents about ``fast-strike meals that are cheap, bold and fun.'' Many of the recipes - like Taco Soup, Mexican Spaghetti, Lemon Meringue No-Pie and Shortcut Chinese Chicken Salad - sound appealing and are fast and easy. This book contains grassroots-style cuisine - nothing exotic - with reasonably priced ingredients. Lots of quick appetizers and desserts here along with strategies for streamlining dinner.

``Working Mom's Fast & Easy One-Pot Cooking,'' by Jeanne Besser (Prima Publishing; $15). With this book in hand, you can prepare more than 100 entrees from start to finish in a single pot, most in 30 to 40 minutes. While the dishes cook, you can put your feet up or do other tasks. An added bonus - cleanup will be minimal.

``The Weeknight Survival Cookbook, How to Make Healthy Meals in 10 Minutes,'' by Dena Irwin, R.D. (Chronimed; $14.95). The book title is a bit misleading as many of the 10-minute weeknight recipes depend on using leftovers from a Sunday head-start meal (which takes 1 to 1 1/2 hours to prepare). Thus the author recommends following the menu for each 12-week cycle in the book, in the order given. Many quick cooks would probably find this too complex, intimidating and confusing. The book would seem to have limited appeal unless you are simply looking for ideas to add to your repertoire or want to follow the plans and recipes exactly.

CHICKEN CURRY WITH TROPICAL FRUIT AND BASMATI RICE

Water

1 cup basmati rice

1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 5 to 6 ounces EACH, OR 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders

1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger

1 medium onion, about 8 ounces

2 tablespoons curry powder 

Cayenne pepper

1 can (14 ounces) coconut milk, preferably reduced fat

2 ripe but firm mangoes

1 ripe but firm large banana OR 2 small bananas

2 ripe but firm kiwis

While hot-water tap runs, put rice in a 2-quart saucepan. Add 2 cups hot tap water and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low, cover and cook 10 minutes. Turn off heat and keep covered until ready to serve. (Or put rice, 2 cups hot tap water and 1 teaspoon salt in a 2-quart microwave-safe container. Cover and cook in microwave oven on high power 10 minutes. Keep covered until ready to serve.)

Put oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces. Increase heat to high and add chicken. Peel and halve ginger. Drop ginger down chute of a food processor with motor running until it purees. Peel and quarter onion. Add to processor and pulse just until chopped.

Add ginger and onion to skillet and stir. Add curry, cayenne and salt to taste. Cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add coconut milk, stir and bring to a boil. Continue cooking, uncovered, about 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Meanwhile place each mango, narrow side down, on a cutting surface. Slice through mango as close to pit as possible on one side, then repeat on other side. With a teaspoon, scoop out flesh from 2 thick slices and cut into bite-size pieces.

Peel banana and cut crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Peel kiwis and halve lengthwise, then cut each half crosswise into 4 half-moon slices.

Add fruit to chicken and stir gently. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, only until fruit is heated through but still maintains shape. Serve over rice. Makes 4 servings.

From ``Cooking to Beat the Clock,'' by Sam Gugino (Chronicle Books).

MIDDLE EASTERN LAMB WITH CUCUMBER SALAD

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 butterflied leg of lamb, 1 3/4 to 2 pounds, trimmed of excess fat and pounded evenly to about half its original thickness (by butcher, if possible)

2 tablespoons ground cumin 

Salt and freshly ground black pepper 

2 cups plain low-fat yogurt

2 large English (seedless) cucumbers

1 clove garlic

4 large sprigs mint OR 4 teaspoons dried mint

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 

4 pocketless pita breads, 7 to 8 inches in diameter

Preheat broiler and set boiler pan 6 inches from heat source.

Put 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat.

Meanwhile, rub lamb with cumin, salt and pepper. (If butcher hasn't done so, pound lamb between 2 sheets of foil or wax paper with side of a cleaver or a meat pounder before seasoning.)

Put lamb in skillet, increase heat to high and cover. Cook about 5 minutes (depending on thickness) on each side for medium rare in middle.

While lamb cooks, put yogurt in a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl to drain excess liquid. Peel and thinly slice cucumbers. Put into a large mixing bowl. Peel and mince garlic. Stack fresh mint leaves, then roll and cut crosswise into ribbons. (If using dried mint, crush leaves between your fingers.) Add garlic, mint, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste to cucumbers. Mix well. Add drained yogurt and mix again. Pour into a serving bowl.

Brush one side of each pita with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil.

Broil 1 to 2 minutes, or until crisped and brown on one side.

Meanwhile, thinly slice lamb on diagonal, against grain. Serve lamb on a platter. Put crisp pita in a basket. Serve with cucumber salad. Makes 4 servings.

From ``Cooking to Beat the Clock,'' by Sam Gugino (Chronicle Books).

TUSCAN TOMATO AND BREAD SALAD

1 loaf coarsely textured Italian country bread, about 1 pound

1 1/2 to 2 pounds ripe tomatoes

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 medium cucumber

1 small to medium sweet onion, such as Vidalia, 4 to 8 ounces

20 basil leaves

20 pitted Greek black olives, such as Kalamata, OR Italian black olives, such as gaeta

2 tablespoons drained small capers

1 can (6 ounces) tuna packed in olive oil

Cut bread into 3/4-inch cubes and put in a large mixing bowl. Cut tomato in half lengthwise. Gently squeeze out some of juice and seeds into a small bowl; you should have at least 1/4 cup. Cut each half into thin wedges, removing core. Add tomatoes to bread.

Add vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste to tomato juice (add a bit more oil and vinegar if you don't have enough juice), stir well. Add dressing to bread and toss well.

Trim ends from cucumber, peel, halve lengthwise and remove seeds. (Easiest way to remove seeds is to scoop out with teaspoon toward end of cucumber that appears more open than other.) Cut each half crosswise into thin slices. Add to bread mixture.

Cut off a thin slice from top and bottom of onion, halve lengthwise, peel each half and cut crosswise into thin half-moon slices. Add to bread mixture. Stack basil leaves, roll and cut crosswise into thin ribbons. You should have 1/4 to 1/3 cup. Add all but 1 teaspoon basil to bread mixture.

Coarsely chop olives. Add olives and 1 tablespoon capers to bread mixture. Gently flake tuna gently with a fork and add to bread mixture. Toss salad well but gently with your hands. Sprinkle top of salad with remaining basil and capers. Makes 4 servings.

From ``Cooking to Beat the Clock,'' by Sam Gugino (Chronicle Books).

PICANTE PIZZA

1 large (12-inch) partially baked pizza crust, such as Boboli

1 can (16 ounces) refried beans, regular OR fat-free

1 cup bottled salsa

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Colby-Jack cheese

1/2 cup frozen corn kernels

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1 can (2 1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained

Place partially baked crust on a pizza pan OR baking sheet and spread beans over it with back of a spoon. Pour salsa over beans and spread evenly with back of spoon. Sprinkle cheese on top of salsa.

Rinse corn in a colander under cold running water to defrost. Drain. Sprinkle green onions over pizza. Drain olives and sprinkle on top.

Give corn in colander a firm shake to remove as much water as possible, then sprinkle over olives. Bake pizza in preheated 450-degree oven 12 minutes, until cheese is melted and edges of crust are browned. Cut into wedges to serve. Makes 4 servings.

From ``Desperation Dinners!'' by Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross (Workman Publishing.

PRESTO PESTO CHICKEN SOUP 

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 2/3 pound total), fresh OR partially frozen

3/4 cup frozen chopped onions

2 cans (14 1/2 ounces EACH) fat-free chicken broth

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon bottled minced garlic

1/2 cup half-and-half OR low-fat milk

1/4 cup commercially prepared pesto

Salt and black pepper to taste

Heat oil in a 4 1/2-quart Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-low heat. Cut chicken (fresh or partially defrosted) into bite-size chunks, adding to pot as cut. Increase heat to medium, add chopped onions and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add broth and increase heat to high. Cover and bring to a boil. Drain tomatoes and add to pot, along with Worcestershire sauce and garlic, keeping lid closed as much as possible. When soup boils, reduce heat to medium-low. Continue to cook at a slow boil until chicken is no longer pink but is still tender, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir in half-and-half, pesto and salt and pepper. Let soup rest off heat 1 1/2 minutes, then serve. Makes 4 servings.

From ``Desperation Dinners!,'' by Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross (Workman Publishing).

MEXICAN SPAGHETTI

Water

1 pound spaghetti

1 pound ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

1 can (11 ounces) Mexican-style corn

1 cup chopped ripe tomatoes, either fresh OR canned

2 tablespoons chili powder

Shredded Monterey Jack cheese, for garnish

Put pasta pot on to boil. Meanwhile, brown beef and chopped onion in a skillet over medium-high heat, stirring. Drain off any fat. Add corn, drained tomatoes and chili powder. Stir. Simmer with cover on so juices don't evaporate.

When pasta is cooked, drain and put in a serving dish. Pour sauce over pasta. If desired, sprinkle with cheese. Serve with a green salad topped by avocado slices. Makes 4 servings.

From ``Guerrilla Cooking,'' by Mel Walsh (St. Martin's Press).

TACO SOUP

1 can (49 1/2 ounces) chicken broth

1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 bag (16 ounces) frozen corn kernels

3 cups tortilla chips

3 cups shredded nonfat Monterey Jack cheese

Combine chicken broth, tomatoes (with juice) and corn into a large pot. Bring to a boil and simmer about 5 minutes.

Pour a handful of chips in soup plates. Ladle soup over chips. Sprinkle cheese over top. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.

From ``Guerrilla Cooking,'' by Mel Walsh (St. Martin's Press).

BEAN AND CHEESE ENCHILADAS IN GREEN SAUCE

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas

1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese

1 1/2 pounds Monterey Jack OR Cheddar cheese, shredded

4 cups tomatillo (green) salsa OR taco sauce

1 can (4 ounces) diced green chiles

2 cans (15 1/4 ounces EACH) black beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Wrap tortillas in foil and place in preheated 350-degree oven to warm 10 minutes. (Tortillas can also be wrapped in a damp towel and warmed in microwave on high 15 to 30 seconds).

In a large bowl, combine ricotta, 4 cups Jack cheese, 1 cup tomatillo sauce, chiles, black beans, greeen onions and cilantro. Set aside.

In a 13x9x2-inch baking dish, spread 1 cup tomatillo salsa over bottom of dish.

Spoon 1/2 cup filling into center of a warmed tortilla. Roll up tortilla to enclose filling. Place filled tortilla, seam side down, in baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling, placing tortillas close together and along side of pan to fit them all. Top with remaining sauce and cheese.

Bake, uncovered, in preheated 350-degree oven 25 to 30 minutes or until enchiladas are heated through. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

From ``Working Mom's Fast and Easy One-Pot Cooking,'' by Jeanne Besser; Prima Publishing.

ANTIPASTO

DRESSING:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon oregano 

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

SALAD:

8 cups loosely packed, green OR red leaf lettuce

2 large ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges

1 cup drained marinated artichoke hearts

1 cup black Italian olives

1 cup rinsed and drained canned chickpeas

1 cup roasted red peppers OR fresh red peppers (optional), cut in slivers

1 cup pepperoncini (optional)

1/2 cup sliced red onion

1/4 pound Genoa salami, thinly sliced

1/4 pound prosciutto, cappicola, sopressata OR pepperoni, thinly sliced

1/4 pound Fontina, provolone OR Asiago cheese, thinly sliced

Prepare Dressing: In a clean jar, combine oil, vinegar, oregano, pepper and salt and shake well to combine. (You can also mix dressing in a bowl using a wire whisk). Set aside.

Prepare Salad: In a large bowl or on a large platter, combine lettuce, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, chickpeas, roasted peppers, pepperoncinis, onions, salami, prosciutto, Fontina and enough dressing to coat salad. Toss to combine. Makes 4 servings.

From ``Working Mom's Fast and Easy One-Pot Cooking,'' by Jeanne Besser; Prima Publishing.

CHICKEN AND SMOKED MOZZARELLA SALAD

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon chopped fresh OR dried rosemary

2 cups cooked chicken, cut into 1-inch dice

1 medium yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1-inch dice

2 medium celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

12 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1/2 pound smoked mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil OR 1 teaspoon dried

Several leaves romaine OR Boston lettuce, washed and dried

Place oil, vinegar, garlic and rosemary in a large mixing bowl; stir until well combined. Add chicken and toss until well coated. Add remaining ingredients, except lettuce, and toss well. Serve on a bed of lettuce leaves. Makes 2 servings.

From ``The Working Stiff Cookbook, Great Food! Easy Recipes!,'' by Bob Sloan; Chronicle Books.

SOUTHWESTERN VEGETABLE LASAGNA

1 1/2 cups tomato-based salsa

8 corn tortillas

1 can (15 ounces) refried pinto beans

1 package (10 ounces) frozen spinach, thawed

1 cup nonfat sour cream

Lightly spray an 8x8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking oil spray. Spread a couple of spoonfuls of salsa in dish and top with 4 tortillas, arranging in a uniform layer.

Combine beans, spinach and 3/4 cup sour cream. Spread 1/2 of mixture evenly over tortillas. Top with 1/2 of remaining salsa.

Arrange remaining tortillas evenly over bean mixture and cover with rest of bean mixture. Top with remaining salsa. Place a dollop of remaining sour cream over salsa. Bake in preheated 375-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the top of the ``lasagna'' bubbles. Serve hot. Makes 4 servings.

From ``Jane Butel's Quick and Easy Southwestern Cookbook;'' Harmony Books.

QUICKIE TAMALE PIE

1 package (12 ounces) OR can, prepared cornmeal mush (polenta)

1 can (15 ounces) pinto OR black beans, drained

1 can (15 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained

1 cup tomato-based salsa

1/2 cup mixed shredded Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheeses

Lightly spray an 8x8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking oil spray. Evenly spread cornmeal in dish.

Combine beans, corn and salsa; spoon over cornmeal. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake in preheated 425-degree about 20 minutes or until bubbly. Serve hot. Makes 4 servings.

From ``Jane Butel's Quick and Easy Southwestern Cookbook;'' Harmony Books.

CAPTION(S):

4 Photos, Drawing

PHOTO (1) no caption (``Working Mom's Fast & Easy One-Pot Cooking'')

(2) no caption (``Jane Butel's Quick and Easy Southwestern Cookbook'')

(3) no caption (``The Working Stiff Cookbook'')

(4) no caption (``Desperation Dinners! Home-Cooked Meals for Frantic Families in 20 Minutes Flat'')

DRAWING: (Color) no caption (Collage of fruits and vegetables with alarm clock)

Illustration by Jorge Irribarren/Daily News