1 large appetizer plate for 4 to 6 people

This dish--the result of my early experiments with the "grillability" of different vegetables at a time when vegetables were not used for grilling--is largely responsible for my reputation for grilling anything and everything. I encourage you to experiment with your favorite vegetables. Make sure they are ultrafresh.

Assembling this antipasto is a lot of fun. Braise the garlic ahead of time, then plan to start cooking this as your guests arrive and let them view all the colors, shapes, and sizes on the grill. It really looks beautiful. Fresh mozzarella or hard provolone makes a smart addition, and adding prosciutto can transform it into a great summer entré e. It's a dish that can sit on a table where people help themselves, and it also makes great leftovers.

8 tablespoons good olive oil
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 summer squash
1 zucchini
1 yellow onion
1 red onion
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
10 medium mushrooms
Salad oil for rub
Salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
8 sun-dried tomatoes
1 cup black olives
2 tablespoons capers
4 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
French "or" Italian bread

To braise the garlic:

Put 3 tablespoons of the olive oil with the garlic, wrap in foil, and cook in a medium oven (300 F) for 1/2 hour. The garlic should easily squeeze out of its skin, after which you mix it with the oil in which it was cooked to make a paste. Now you are ready to grill the vegetables.

To prepare the vegetables:

1. Slice the squash and zucchini into1/4-inch rounds.

2. Cut the onions into quarters.

3. Cut the peppers in half and clean out the seeds and membranes.

4. Rub all the vegetables lightly with the salad oil, sprinkle them lightly with salt and pepper to taste, and grill over high heat. What you are looking for here is color. With the exception of the onion, all of the vegetables will be cooked properly when the color is right. It's actually fine to have some black parts, because that's the sugar in the vegetables caramelizing, but what you are looking for is really a dark golden brown. Don't overcook them, since you'll want to retain some crispness/ rawness in the vegetables to provide texture. The onions require special care: Keep them in quarters and grill them well on the cut sides so that when they are removed from the grill and separated, each piece will have some edges with color and grilled flavor

5. When the vegetables have achieved the desired state, toss them in balsamic vinegar and 5 tablespoons of the olive oil and arrange them on a platter along with the tomatoes, olives, and capers. Just before serving, squeeze the lemon juice over everything.

6. Cut 4 to 6 chunks of Italian or French bread. If the grill is hot, toast lightly. Be careful, as bread burns easily over an open grill. If the grill is not hot, use the oven to toast the bread. Spread with garlic paste, add to the platter with vegetables, and chomp.

Grill Lamb Steaks with Rosemary, Garlic, and Red Wine

Serves 6 as a main course

As a child traveling in Greece with my family, I had the best lamb I ever tasted. On the way to the Oracle at Delphi, my sister and I insisted that we stop at every roadside bar and sample the lamb skewers,which were rubbed with rosemary and garlic. Ever since then, I have associated the taste of lamb with the complementary tastes of rosemary and garlic from those skewers.2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
6-pound leg of lamb, cut into 6 steaks (have your butcher do this for you), bone in
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

1. Make a paste of the garlic and rosemary and rub it into the steaks "con mucho gusto."

2. Put the steaks into a shallow dish, add the wine and olive oil, and let the steaks wallow around in the mixture, covered for about 2 hours.

3. Remove the steaks, season them with salt and pepper to taste, and hit the grill. Grill them over a medium-high fire, 6 to 8 minutes per side for medium rare. Serve with lemon wedges and pita.

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