The Cleft Palate : Cookbooks: For 15 years, the owners of the Silver Palate were wildly successful in everything they undertook. Their gourmet takeout shop was a hit. Their products are sold in supermarkets. Their cookbooks are best-sellers. Now they’re going their separate ways.

In 1977, two young women--Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins--opened a takeout food shop on New York’s Columbus Avenue. It was supposed to be called Seaboard Deluxe, which is coffee-shop slang for an order to go, but then food journalist Florence Fabricant suggested another name, which stuck: The Silver Palate.

The Silver Palate became a success literally almost overnight and soon grew into a culinary mini-empire. Rosso and Lukins developed a thriving catering operation and a line of packaged food products sold nationwide, even a series of spin-off shops in Japan.

But what made the Silver Palate a household name was “The Silver Palate Cookbook” (1982) and its successors, “The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook” (1985) and the “The New Basics Cookbook” (1989), all published by Workman.

The idea was simple: “We were good home cooks with peasant tastes,” Rosso says. “Our palates were developing along with America’s, but maybe just a few steps ahead--and as soon as we learned something, we wrote about it.”

It worked. The books’ chatty tone and accessible, delicious recipes were just what a food-addled America wanted. Together, the three volumes have sold more than 4.5 million copies.

The good times didn’t last forever, though. “It got to the point,” Lukins says, “where we were spending more time in meetings and with lawyers than doing what we really loved to do, which was making food.” Bored and crowded out of the kitchen by their success, the two used to sneak off to the movies in the afternoon. Finally, in 1988, they sold the original shop and all the related enterprises.

“The New Basics Cookbook” came out the following year, and the women continued collaborating as co-food editors for Parade, the national Sunday magazine, for which they also wrote a weekly column. Since January of this year, though, Lukins has been the only food editor of the publication, and the two--as both will tell you candidly--no longer work together. (Neither will elaborate on the reason for the break.)

Silver Palate fans needn’t despair, though. Lukins and Rosso both have new books in the works. Rosso’s is just out from Random House. Called “Great Good Food: Luscious Lower-Fat Cooking,” it will remind readers, in both design and tone, of the previous volumes (Christa Wise’s drawings are so reminiscent of those Lukins did for the Silver Palate books as to suggest an homage). Still, it has a flavor very much its own. As the subtitle suggests, every recipe, from power breakfasts to bistro fare to Chinese banquet dishes, is low in fat, cholesterol and other potentially deleterious dietary elements.

“It made sense for me to do a book like this,” says Rosso, who has moved back to her native Michigan, where she and her husband run the 11-room Wickwood Country Inn in the village of Saugatuck. “My mom had a stroke, my husband has high blood pressure, and I’ve always been on the chubby side myself, so I thought that if I could change the way I cooked but still make food taste good, why not do it?” Still, she emphasizes, “This is a joyful book, not one that feels medicinal or stingy. Food can be fun even if it has less fat and fewer calories.”

Lukins, meanwhile, is working in quite another direction--a lot of other directions, actually. Her next project is the “The American World Cookbook” (Workman), due out in 1994. The idea is to reinterpret highlights of the world’s cuisines--Lukins visited some 35 countries for material--through an (accessible) American sensibility. “What I’m doing,” she says, “is eating a lot of food, going to markets, talking to cooks, assimilating--and then coming back to New York and creating my own recipes. It isn’t supposed to be ‘authentic.’ It’s my versions of flavors I love. I’ve got everything from a Thai club sandwich to huevos rancheros my way.”

The “The American World Cookbook” has a health angle, too--but a personal one: Six months into the project, Lukins suffered a massive cerebral hemorrhage. “I was real sick,” she says. “I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t use my arms for awhile. But I somehow managed to hobble into the kitchen and teach myself to cook again--and three months after it happened, I was traveling again. Having this book to do really pulled me through.”

And, having pulled through, Lukins knows very well what she wants to do in the future. “I love being involved with food,” she says, “and I love cooking best of all. That’s really what I want to keep on doing.” Rosso would no doubt echo that sentiment.

These recipes are from Sheila Lukins’ new cookbook. Of this Pastitsio she says: “Real Greek home-cooking, holding no aspirations to lofty elegance, shines through in this dish. In deference to our eating habits today, I’ve omitted the thick cheese. I begin with a small piece of brisket of beef and cook it in the style of a long - baked pot roast in a cinnamon - and - orange - zest - infused tomato sauce. Half way through the cooking time I slice the brisket thinly and return it to the sauce, which makes the meat tender and succulent and easy to serve. Spooned over penne or ziti in shallow bowls and sprinkled with coarsely grated Kasseri cheese (or another semi-hard cheese like Provolone), this is a completely satisfying meal when served with a crisp colorful Greek Salad.”

SHEILA LUKINS’ PASTITSIO 2 1/2 pound beef brisket Salt Coarsely ground black pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 medium onions, halved, and thinly sliced 2 carrots, peeled and halved 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 1 (28-ounce) can plum tomatoes crushed with juices 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1/2 cup dry red wine 1/4 cup honey 2 cinnamon sticks, each 3 inches long 1 teaspoon ground oregano 1 strip orange zest 1 pound cooked tubular pasta, penne, ziti or rigatoni 4 ounces Kasseri cheese (or other semi-hard cheese such as Provolone or Emmenthal) grated

Sprinkle brisket generously to taste with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy oven-proof casserole over medium high heat and brown brisket well on all sides. Remove to plate.

Reduce heat to low. Add onions and cook 10 minutes, stirring up browned bits on bottom. Return brisket to casserole. Add carrots, garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, honey, cinnamon sticks, oregano and orange zest. Stir to combine.

Bake at 350 degrees, covered, 1 1/2 hours. Remove meat and slice thinly crosswise on diagonal. Return sliced meat to casserole and gently toss with sauce. Bake, covered, 30 minutes more, uncover and bake 1 hour more. Before serving, remove cinnamon sticks and orange zest.

Divide cooked pasta between 8 shallow bowls. Ladle with meat sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Makes 8 servings.

This sandwich recipe is from a chapter called “Hands Across the Sea” in Lukins’ new book. She says that when she was on the island of Phuket off the west coast of Thailand, she was having fresh crab meat for lunch and began thinking of how to combine the “feeling and flavors of Southeast Asia and a touch of the Caribbean with our own beaches back home.”

THAI CRAB CLUB WITH AVOCADO MAYONNAISE 6 1/4 inch slices whole grain or 7 grain bread, lightly toasted (each about 3 1/2x3 1/2 inches square) 8 tablespoons Avocado Mayonnaise 1 (1 pound) ripe papaya, peeled and seeded 2 cups crab meat, cartilage removed 6 teaspoons chopped cilantro 2 ripe tomatoes Coarsely ground black pepper

Spread 1 tablespoon Avocado Mayonnaise on 1 side of each slice of toast.

Cut papaya into 1/4 inch thick slices and divide evenly between bread. Top each with 1/3 cup crab meat. Sprinkle each wit 1 teaspoon cilantro.

Cut tomatoes into 1/4 inch slices. Use 6 largest center slices and place on top of crab. (Reserve remainder for another use.)

Season tomatoes to taste with pepper. Add 1 teaspoon of remaining Avocado Mayonnaise in center of each. Makes 6 servings.

Avocado Mayonnaise 1 (1/2 pound) ripe avocado 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro Salt Freshly ground black pepper

Halve avocado, removing pit and scoop flesh into bowl. Mash with lime juice. Scrape into food processor and process until just smooth. With motor running, slowly drizzle in oil through feed tube and process until smooth. Remove to bowl.

Fold in cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before use. Makes about 1 cup.

“This recipe,” says Lukins, “is one of my favorite dishes served over delicate couscous. I’ve seen many recipes for Seven Vegetable Couscous and the vegetables vary somewhat. For my seven vegetables I’ve used leeks, onions, carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, potatoes and turnips. Prunes and golden raisins add a sweet lushness to this dish and garbanzo beans introduce an interesting texture.”

SEVEN VEGETABLE COUSCOUS 6 medium leeks, 4 inches of green left on 1 tablespoon white vinegar 12 cups defatted chicken broth 4 tablespoons olive oil 6 large sprigs cilantro, washed, roots and stems bruised 8 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly bruised 3 cinnamon sticks, each 3 inches long 2 teaspoons cumin 2 teaspoons curry powder 1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads 1 teaspoon coarse salt 2 medium zucchini, ends trimmed 6 medium carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut into 2-inch lengths 3 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters 1/2 pound small white turnips, peeled and quartered 3 small yellow onions, peeled and halved 3 large ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered 1 (16-ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained 1 cup pitted prunes, halved 1/2 cup golden raisins 8 cups cooked packaged couscous 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Trim roots off leeks. Cut 3-inch X through white bulb and green ends. Place leeks in bowl and cover with water and vinegar. Soak 30 minutes to remove sand. Drain and rinse under running water. Reserve.

While leeks are soaking, prepare seasoned broth. Place broth, oil, cilantro, garlic, cinnamon sticks, cumin, curry powder, saffron and salt in very large heavy pot. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.

Peel zucchini lengthwise at intervals to make 3 or 4 stripes in skin. Cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths. Reserve.

Place leeks, carrots, potatoes, turnips and onions into broth. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.

Add reserved zucchini, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, prunes and raisins. Stir gently so vegetables don’t break up. Cook 30 minutes longer.

Just before serving, gently heat vegetables and broth through. Stir in 3 tablespoons cilantro.

Spoon couscous into shallow bowls and top with vegetables and broth. Garnish with remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

The following recipes are from Julee Rosso’s new “Great Good Food.” She says of this stew that it is so satisfying you won’t miss the classic chicken or beef.

JULEE ROSSO’S SPRING VEGETABLE STEW 1 large lemon, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons sugar 6 garlic cloves, peeled, roasted and mashed into paste 1 tablespoon canola oil 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 gallon chicken broth 8 red potatoes, 1 1/2 inches in diameter, scrubbed and cut into quarters 4 small leeks, white parts only, rinsed, trimmed and split 1 pound green beans, trimmed 8 small carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces 1 pound sugar snap peas 2 cups spinach, slivered and stems removed 1/2 cup finely minced dill, Italian parsley, or chervil

Place lemon slices, sugar, and 1 cup of water in small saute pan and simmer until lemon is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove lemon and reserve liquid. When lemon is cool, coarsely chop and place in blender with garlic and oil and blend until smooth. Season to taste with pepper. Set aside.

Pour chicken broth into large stockpot and bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and leeks and simmer 10 minutes. Add green beans and carrots and simmer until tender. Add sugar snap peas and simmer 1 minute longer. With slotted spoon, remove all vegetables and place in bowl. Set aside.

Bring broth to boil, lower heat and simmer about 15 minutes, until reduced to about 4 cups. Remove from heat and whisk in lemon mixture.

Place 1/4 of spinach in bottom of each of 4 soup bowls. Place vegetables in center. Strain broth through sieve and season to taste with pepper and reserved lemon liquid. Gently ladle over vegetables and sprinkle with dill. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about 269 calories; 11 mg cholesterol; 4 gram fat; 51 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams protein.

A lighter version of garlic bread .

FRENCH ONION BREAD 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons canola oil 2 tablespoons finely chopped dill, basil or thyme 1 (21-inch-long) loaf French bread 3 tablespoons shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Place onion, olive oil, canola oil and dill in covered container and let stand 3 hours at room temperature.

Slice bread in half lengthwise. Cover bottom half with onion mixture. Cover with top half and sprinkle cheese over. Place on baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees 10 minutes. Serve immediately. Makes 24 slices.

Each serving contains about: 88 calories; 1 mg cholesterol; 3 gram fat; 12 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein.

This is an amazingly good low-calorie dessert.

STRAWBERRY FOOL 1 quart strawberries, cleaned 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese 2 cups nonfat plain yogurt 4 tablespoons honey 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 vanilla bean, split and seeded 1/2 cup strawberry preserves

Puree strawberries and cottage cheese in blender.

Place yogurt in medium bowl and fold in strawberry mixture. Add honey, vanilla extract and vanilla seeds and mix gently but thoroughly. Chill.

When ready to serve, place equal amounts of yogurt mixture into 8 dishes and swirl 1 teaspoon of preserves into each. Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains about: 122 calories; 1 mg cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 22 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein.

Here’s another one of Rosso’s wonderful, low-fat desserts.

TIRAMISU CAKE 1 angel food cake 1 cup cold espresso 3/4 cup amaretto liqueur 1 1/2 cups nonfat ricotta cheese 1 cup mascarpone cheese 3 tablespoons skim milk 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon powdered sugar 1 ounce shaved bittersweet chocolate 1 1/2 cups sliced almonds, toasted

Cut angel food cake into 3 equal layers.

In small bowl, combine espresso and 1/2 cup amaretto. Spoon 1/3 mixture evenly over each layer of cake.

Whisk together 1/4 cup amaretto, 1 cup ricotta, 1/2 cup mascarpone and 1/2 cup powdered sugar in medium bowl. Place 1 layer of cake on plate and spread 1/2 mascarpone mixture on top. Add second layer and repeat. Place remaining layer on top.

Whisk together remaining ricotta, mascarpone, amaretto and powdered sugar until well blended. Cover entire cake with mixture. Grate chocolate on top of cake. Press almonds into side of cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 24 servings.

Each serving contains about: 194 calories; 2 mg cholesterol; 6 grams fat; 27 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein.