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• Long-handled spatula

• Grill screen

THE GRILL

Gas:

Direct heat, medium-high (400° to 450°F)

Clean, oiled grate

Charcoal:

Direct heat, light ash

Clean, oiled grate on medium setting

INGREDIENTS (MAKES 12 TO 14 SERVINGS)

Oil for coating grill screen

2 large onions (about 12 ounces each), cut into ½-inch-thick slices

1 pound mushrooms, cleaned

4 ribs celery

1 large loaf (about 24 ounces) good-quality white sandwich bread, about 18 slices

4 large apples, peeled, cored, and halved

No-stick spray oil

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup apple cider

2 teaspoons Tuscan Rosemary Rub (page 375)

2 tablespoons butter, salted or unsalted, melted

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the grill as directed. Oil the grill screen and put it on the grill.

2. Coat the onions, mushrooms, celery, apples, and bread slices on all sides with spray oil. Put the vegetables on the grill screen and grill until browned and tender, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a large bowl. Grill the bread slices for 1 minute per side. Put in the bowl.

3. Cut the vegetables and bread into bite-size pieces, and toss with the chicken broth, apple cider, Tuscan rub, and butter until well combined. Put in an oven-to-table serving dish, cover, and keep warm in a 200°F oven for up to 2 hours.

Grilled Pear and Cranberry Compote

Pears and cranberries are an inspired combination in flavor (fragrant and milky versus tart and sharp), texture (velvet smoothness versus turgid pop), and color (creamy pale versus eye-popping scarlet). Adding a confetti of blackened flecks from the grill only increases the delight.

TIMING

Prep: About 10 minues

Grill: 6 to 9 minutes

GRILL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

• Long-handled spatula

• Grill screen

THE GRILL

Gas:

Direct heat, medium-high (400° to 450°F)

Clean, oiled grate

Charcoal:

Direct heat, light ash

Clean, oiled grate on medium setting

INGREDIENTS (MAKES 12 TO 14 SERVINGS)

Oil for coating grill screen

4 Bartlett pears or 12 Seckel pears

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 pound cranberries, fresh or frozen

11/3 cups sugar, plus more if needed

1 teaspoon vanilla vinegar (or 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the grill as directed. Oil the grill screen and put it on the grill.

2. Peel the pears, cut in half lengthwise, and remove the core with a small melon baller. If using Bartlett pears, cut each pear half in half again lengthwise. Toss the pears in a medium bowl with the 2 teaspoons oil until evenly coated.

3. Put the pears on the oiled grill screen; cover and cook until the pears are browned and barely tender, about 3 minutes per side (6 minutes total for Seckel pears, 9 minutes total for Bartlett pears).

4. Cut the pears into bite-size chunks; set aside.

5. Combine the cranberries and sugar in a large saucepan and cook, covered, over medium heat until the cranberries burst, about 4 minutes, stirring as needed. Taste for sweetness and add a little more sugar, if needed. Add the pears and simmer for a minute more. Stir in the vanilla vinegar. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Photo: Grilled Pear and Cranberry Compote

Trash-Can Turkey

Boy Scouts are a resourceful bunch. David learned how to build a wood fire on Boy Scout camping trips when he was a kid, but he didn’t hear about this Scout trick for cooking a whole turkey until he was in his late twenties. Trash-can turkey has since become a novel way to cook a whole bird at tailgates and other outdoor grill parties. The method’s genius is its simplicity. Drive a stake into the ground, impale a turkey on the stake, then invert a metal trash can over the staked turkey to create an oven. All that’s left to add is the heat. You burn a bag of charcoal, or use campfire coals, and shovel the hot coals on top of and around the metal trash can. The method is perfect for campfire cooking because it uses minimal equipment. Plus the turkey cooks quickly and stays moist due to the intense heat surrounding the can and the enclosed environment inside of this makeshift oven. Try this grill project at your next party.