Roots: The Underground Cookbook.(Brief Article)

Barbara Grunes and Anne Elise Hunt. Chicago Review Press, $9.95 (144p) ISBN 1-55652-174-X

The ancient uses of roots in cookery and culture receive a new treatment here at the hands of Grunes (Fish on the Grill) and Hunt (Eating for Two). The two food veterans do well with this solid staple, offering recipes that are inventive and healthful (although theirs is "not a low-fat cookbook," not strictly vegetarian and not a foe of cheeses). The roots concerned? Potatoes, yams, onions, beets, carrots, beans, radishes, turnips, rutabagas, garlic, leeks; one chapter is devoted entirely to Asian roots (ginger, …