"The Gourmet Garden" by Virginia Hayes (Barron's, $19.99)

If you ever dreamed of having an outdoor kitchen sprouting right from a garden in your backyard, wake up instead and read Virginia Hayes' "The Gourmet Garden." There, you'll find the real-life version: Shiny steel-encased gas burners and cabinets rising from a wood and stone deck as pots and utensils swing in the breeze from hooks above. It's kissed by tall stems of herbs emerging from one terra-cotta pot after another and crawling colorful vines, while all is shaded by the branches of huge-potted fruit and vegetable trees.

That's just one of the author's many fruitful ideas captured in a photograph; served up for you to easily and deliciously emulate. Whether you'll be cooking outside or inside, Hayes covers loads of possible lush scenarios, everything from container gardening, to designing an extensive outdoor edible garden, to indoor gardening — like creating a salad garden with easy-to-grow choices such as lettuce, snap peas, chives, mustard greens and radishes.

Hayes is curator of a Santa Barbara, Calif., public garden and has degrees in botany, ecology, evolution and marine biology. She is a master at breaking information into easily digestible steps. The entire indoor salad garden, for instance, fits on one page of the book with well-delineated tips (like use potting soil instead of outdoor garden soil) and steps (such as "place the tray in a south- or west-facing window provided it is warm enough and there isn't a cold air draft. Seeds need to be warm enough to germinate.")

A directory for outdoor gardens follows for growing lots of specifics like chard, broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, endive, chicory, spinach, leeks, artichokes, cherries, plums, tangerines and pomegranates.

Such fruits of your labor will probably inspire many original fresh recipes on your own part. Hayes also adds to your collection with a small, yet highly distinctive, collection of international specialties. Each recipe takes garden items as a foundation and builds on them beautifully. There's a Pacific Rim fusion chicken salad that starts with the garden's onions, red bell pepper, jalapeno peppers, cilantro and limes. Then adds chicken marinated in tequila, tossed with macaroni and dressed with triple sec, garlic, honey, cumin and chili paste. A prawn curry enhances the garden's cilantro, onions and hot green chilies with gingerroot, chili powder and coconut milk.

Hayes is an outstanding cook; she seems as inventive in the kitchen as she is in the garden. Here's hoping a full-fledged fresh produce cookbook may sprout from her garden soon.

PRAWN CURRY

1 cup fresh, cooked peeled prawns

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons white wine or cider vinegar

1 teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoons dried coriander

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons sunflower oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 (1-inch) cube gingerroot, chopped

4 to 6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1 cup warm water

2 to 4 green chilies, sliced and deseeded (see Note)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup coconut milk and small pieces

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Steamed white rice, for serving

Yields about 2 servings.

Put the prawns in a medium bowl, add the salt and vinegar and leave for 10 to 15 minutes. Mix the spices together in a small bowl and set aside. Gently fry the onion in the oil until pale golden, stirring constantly. Add ginger and garlic and fry for another minute. Add mixed spices and fry for another minute.

Add the water, chilies, salt and coconut. Simmer until the coconut dissolves. Add prawns and cook for 2 to 5 minutes, depending on the size of prawn. Add half the chopped cilantro leaves and remove from heat. Garnish with rest of the cilantro. Serve with steamed white rice.

Note: When handling chilies, experts recommend wearing rubber gloves and not touching eyes during or afterward.

MUSTARD-DILL SAUCE

1/2 cup Dijon or Swedish mustard

3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice or red wine vinegar, or to taste

Salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Yields about 4 servings.

In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients except for oil. Gradually add oil, whisking constantly, until blended and smooth.

Cover and let stand for 2 to 3 hours before serving to allow the flavors to develop. Refrigerate after that if not serving. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the author of seven food books, including "Mrs. Cubbison's Best Stuffing Cookbook" and "The Sourdough Bread Bowl Cookbook." She also writes the Creators News Service "After-Work Gourmet" column. To find out more about Lisa Messinger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.