Cool Kitchen
By Lauren Chattman
William Morrow, $22
ISBN 0688155138

Chill out this summer with Lauren Chattman's Cool Kitchen: 125 Delicious, No-Work Recipes for Summertime or Anytime--No Oven, No Stove, No Sweat!. Ms. Chattman knows what it means to sweat over a hot stove. The idea of preparing food without firing up the appliances led to these recipes--including soups, starters, salads, sandwiches, salsas, sauces, and fruit desserts--that are quick, refreshing, and surprisingly simple.

What could be quicker than tossing peanuts or macadamias with Chinese five-spice powder for a pre-meal munchie, or stuffing plump prunes with whole almonds and bits of bittersweet chocolate for an after dinner delight? "Cold Avocado-Tequila Soup" or a citrusy salad of "Crabmeat and Oranges over Frisee" are both festive and fast. Ms. Chattman's ideas for sandwiches, the original no-cook meal, are inspired: "Tuna and Salsa Verde Sandwiches" on crusty rolls, her take on an Italian classic, makes tuna fish salad seem drab.

The salsas, sauces, and dressings are super ways to save time and dress up almost anything. These 25 raw preparations can expand your gastronomic repertoire and make the ordinary sing. "Arugula Pesto" puts pizzazz in pasta, pizza, and bruschetta and perks up a store-bought roast chicken.

You might expect a pastry chef to balk at no-bake desserts, but Chattman now opts for fresh fruit (emphasis on fresh) combined with a few other ingredients to satisfy the sweet tooth. "Fresh Figs, Walnuts, and Mascarpone" dusted with cocoa and "Blueberries and Strawberries in Sparkling Wine" are among fabulous finales fit for any menu.

So, this summer when it sizzles, turn off the heat, turn up the taste, and keep your cool.