Grill up a little something for everyone to kick off the summer season

Grilling season has officially begun. Last weekend, many grillers fired up barbecues and opened up bags of charcoal. Summer is officially off and running.

Looking for new ideas? Tips for getting the most out of the food you grill? Here are three new recipes as well as tips for getting everything on the grill cooked to perfection.

This classic Middle Eastern favorite is full of big spices: turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, allspice, lemon and garlic. But it's another ingredient that plays a key role. Yogurt is a great way to tenderize meat without breaking down the protein. It contains lactic acid and microbes, which provide a tangy flavor and result in exceedingly tender chicken. It also works really well with lamb or beef or on certain vegetables, like cauliflower.

The chicken should marinate for several hours or overnight, but not for any longer, and is then tightly placed on skewers. You can use wooden skewers (which must be soaked in cold water for an hour to prevent burning) or longer metal skewers, but the meat is pressed down so it's touching and compact. The grilled chicken is served with warm pita bread, tahini sauce and tomato-cucumber-cilantro salad.

Serves 3 to 4.

Ingredients

The chicken:

Instructions

This is a wildly versatile sauce. Thin it out a bit with water or more lemon juice, and it's a salad dressing. Serve it on sauteed greens, spoon it on cold noodles, roast it on carrots or other vegetables or spoon it on grilled fish or chicken. You can also use it as a dip for crudites.

Makes about ⅓ cup.

Ingredients

Instructions

This is a quick, easy, refreshing summer salad that goes well with many grilled foods.

Ingredients

Instructions

I don't know why people don't eat more artichokes. Is it that they look so unfriendly and like they might be complicated to cook? Nothing could be further from the truth. Here I parboil them to soften and then cut the chokes in half and scoop out the furry center. I finish them off on the grill and fill the center with fresh lemon juice and olive oil.

Ingredients

Instructions

A flat iron steak, also known as boneless top chuck steak, is super flavorful, comes from the shoulder area, is relatively inexpensive and is known for its rich, beefy flavor. Flat iron can be tough if not cooked properly, and the best way I've found is to marinate it for several hours and then cook it over a hot grill.

It's delicious grilled with whole scallions and then served with white or brown rice sprinkled with finely chopped scallions and white sesame seeds.

Serves 3 to 4.

Ingredients

Instructions

Grilling tips:

Other favorite grilling recipes:

This segment aired on June 1, 2023.

Ingredients Instructions Ingredients Instructions Ingredients Instructions Ingredients Instructions Ingredients Instructions Other favorite grilling recipes: