Grilling

First, tenderize the octopus by simmering it at a low boil for about an hour (ignore the myths about adding vinegar or a cork from a bottle of wine). Then char it on the grill to crisp the skin.

Also known as Korean-style or cross-cut short ribs. We fell in love with this bone-in cut at Korean BBQ joints and are therefore partial to its Korean name (and flavor possibilities). Buy 2 pounds of cross-cut short ribs, each sliced lengthwise about 1/3" thick.

Watermelon takes on a nice char on the grill. Don't fiddle with the pieces; just flip them when it's time.

Our favorite Bloody Mary fixings make a juicy accompaniment for grilled flank steak. The salad tastes better if prepared a few hours ahead.

Also known as fajita steak. It might look like a weight lifter's belt, but skirt steak is juicy and delicious. With a flavor-to-cost ratio that works strongly in your favor, this thin cut cooks quickly for an impromptu BBQ. Buy one 1 1/2 pound skirt steak (about 1/2" thick) and cut it in half crosswise.

A bone-in rib eye requires nothing more than salt, pepper, and a hot grill. (Though to make it even more sublime, serve with scallions that have been tossed in olive oil and salt and given a quick char.) These steps can be applied to most cuts; you'll need to cook a thicker steak for more time and a thin one for less, but the principles are the same: Build a two-zone fire so you can sear it over hot embers, then finish cooking over medium-low to keep it juicy. Master this technique, and you've mastered grilling.

You need to start making this dish the day before you serve it, but the crispy, succulent result is well worth the effort.

Cherry tomatoes—grilled on the vine and drizzled with fragrant basil-mint oil—burst with flavor alongside salty grilled Halloumi cheese and crisp, cool watermelon.

Smoky paella is perfect for a crowd. This recipe for six is designed for cooking on a charcoal grill—though a gas grill works in a pinch.

Anthony Ross, executive chef at the Langham Hotel in Melbourne, once took me on a tour of the kitchen. The food there is amazing and so I asked Anthony for his recipe for pork belly tandoori as it is my favorite. He said it was quite funny because in India pork isn't really seen as a popular choice for tandoori, but in Australia it is his bestseller. I have changed the pork belly to loin as it suits the grill better.

There are no secrets to this burger recipe—this is simply a burger I like to cook on my grill, and then eat with a cold beer while watching the surf roll in.

Anything grilled could be described as smoky, but our cover burger is a multi layered masterpiece thanks to chipotle chiles mingled with adobo, smoked paprika, and bacon. Seared avocado makes it almost too good to be true.

Olives bring healthful monounsaturated fat to your plate. Plus, they supply skin-protecting vitamin E.

A 4-ounce fillet of mild-tasting tilapia has only 108 calories.

Summer colds? Not you! Each serving of this dish delivers all the immunity-boosting vitamin C you need per day.

In addition to being a great source of good-for-you fat, avocados are full of fiber and bloat-busting potassium.

Impress dinner guests with this chic dish featuring top round, which has less than 1 gram of fat per ounce.

Simple preparations like this let the buttery flavor and langoustine-like texture of Santa Barbara spot prawns, a West Coast delicacy, shine. Feel free to substitute any jumbo American shrimp.