Grilling

Look for fish that's 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick. It sounds counterintuitive, but farmed fish is a better choice when raised inland, in recirculating water (rather than in crowded netpens in the wild). At the market, ask your fishmonger where the fish comes from.

Picada is a Spanish flavoring made with garlic, herbs, and ground nuts. Here, breadcrumbs stand in for the nuts.

For burgers with the best texture, blend the meat and seasoning gently, trying not to overwork it, and then shape the mixture into patties.

These newfangled burgers are stuffed with feta cheese. Pressing the center of the raw hamburger to form a slight indentation prevents the burger from puffing up in the center when cooking.

Instead of pork shoulder, this southern-inspired recipe uses quicker-cooking pork tenderloin. For fullest flavor, look for Berkshire pork or another heritage breed. Smoked salt in a grinder can be found in the spice section of most supermarkets.

Clams cooked in the shell pop open on the grill, just like they do when steamed. And there's a bonus for the cook: No big, heavy pot is needed.

The dog-and-relish combo, reinvented.

This halibut recipe is perfect for warm weather. While the grill is fired up, throw on some asparagus or another quick-cooking vegetable for an easy dinner.

Look for deveined shrimp still in the shell at the seafood counter or in the frozen foods section of the market. If you like, marinate the chicken and shrimp for an hour at room temperature or two hours in the fridge, turning skewers occasionally.

Fattoush is a Middle Eastern take on panzanella, Italian bread salad. In fact, rustic Italian bread is a good alternative to the pita.

Try the topping on burgers or in quesadillas, too.

This recipe is a great excuse to buy heirloom tomatoes in different colors and varieties — they'll look beautiful here.

This paste showcases the layered flavors typical of Southeast Asian cooking. While the lemongrass does require a bit of work, its subtle but penetrating flavor is key. Adjust the amount of jalapeño peppers according to your heat tolerance and the heat level of the chiles you are using. We also like to use this spice paste on any type of grilled lamb.

The flavors of Mexico enliven this very adaptable spice paste, which is excellent on grilled beef and chicken as well as pork. If you want to make the flavor even more complex, substitute crushed chile de árbol, dried pasilla, or New Mexico chiles for the red-pepper flakes.

Though there are plenty of chiles in this paste, they don't overpower it. The aromatic bite of coriander, the earthiness of cumin, and the licorice trace of caraway seeds create a pleasingly complex flavor. This paste is also delicious with pork.

Some of us prefer the taste of grilled lobster to boiled. The smokiness of the fire balances the richness of the meat while simultaneously intensifying its flavor.

Removing the bones from salmon steaks is surprisingly easy, and you'll get filletlike quality at a lower price. Here, we've grilled the steaks to intensify their flavor, and paired them with the sharp bite of horseradish.

Just when the crowd thinks you're done with the grill, surprise them with this; the romaine's leaves char slightly but stay fresh and crisp. With grilled croutons and garlicky Caesar anchovy dressing, this is a salad that even chest-beating carnivores can get behind.

Grilled and then tossed with a simple mustard vinaigrette, these vegetables turn tender and juicy, providing an ideal foil for the hearty grilled steaks.