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By Root 968 0

of its liquid evaporates. It is too intense and too thick to be eaten alone; rather, it is best thought of as a flavoring agent. For grilling, its main role is as a component in barbecue glazes and sauces, but it can also infuse the flavor of tomato into a rub or a composed butter without the need to worry about adding extra moisture. The best-quality tomato paste is packaged in tubes and is double concentrated. Usually imported, these double tomato pastes are sweet, aromatic, and intensely flavored. Best of all, the tube keeps air away from any leftover paste, allowing it to stay fresh for months in a refrigerator. No more throwing out half-used cans of tomato paste.

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THE GRILL

Gas:

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

Clean, oiled grate

Charcoal:

Direct heat, light ash

12-by-12-inch charcoal bed (about 3 dozen coals)

Clean, oiled grate on lowest setting

Wood:

Direct heat, light ash

12-by-12-inch bed, 3 to 4 inches deep

Clean, oiled grate set 2 inches above the fire

INGREDIENTS (MAKES 6 SERVINGS)

Oil for coating grill grate

6 ears unhusked corn

4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, softened

1 tablespoon corn or canola oil

1½ tablespoons tomato paste

1/4 teaspoon Chinese chili paste with garlic

¼teaspoon garlic salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the grill as directed.

2. Brush the grill grate and coat it with oil. Put the corn on the grill, cover, and cook until the husks are charred and you can hear the juices from the corn sputtering inside, 12 to 15 minutes, turning every 3 or 4 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, mix the butter, 1 tablespoon oil, tomato paste, chili paste, and garlic salt in a small bowl.

4. Let the corn cool for a few minutes. Grasp each ear with a dish towel and peel off the husk. Serve the ears slathered with the tomato butter.

Grilled Eggplant Rollatine

Casseroles are built to be baked, and it is not usually worth the effort it takes to reinvent them for the grill, but in this case, the charred bits that speckle the eggplant and the flavor of fire that permeates the sauce give this traditional Italian vegetable casserole a whole new identity. The biggest effect comes from grilling the vegetables before they are layered in the casserole; cooking the casserole itself on the grill doesn’t do much, although it does let you avoid having to heat up the oven.

TIMING

Prep: 15 minutes

Grill: About 30 minutes

GRILL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

• Long-handled spatula or tongs

• 9-by-13-inch grill-safe baking dish

BAKING INSTEAD OF GRILLING

• Instead of cooking the rollatine on the grill, you can finish them in a 350°F oven; bake for about 20 minutes.

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THE GRILL

Gas:

Direct heat, medium-high (350° to 400°F)

Clean, oiled grate

Charcoal:

Direct heat, light ash

12-by-12-inch charcoal bed (about 3 dozen coals)

Clean, oiled grate on medium setting

INGREDIENTS (MAKES 8 SERVINGS)

2 large eggplants (about 1 pound each)

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

5 cloves garlic, minced

1¼ teaspoons kosher salt

¾ teaspoon ground black pepper

Oil for coating grill grate

1 can (28 ounces) crushed fire-roasted tomatoes

32 fresh basil leaves (about 1 cup)

12 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 16 long, thin pieces

3 tablespoons (about ¾ ounce) shaved imported Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the grill as directed.

2. Cut both ends of both eggplants flat. One at a time, stand the eggplants on end and cut into lengthwise ¼-inch-thick slices. You should get 8 per eggplant.

3. Mix ¼ cup of the olive oil, 2 cloves of the garlic, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper in a small bowl. Brush the eggplant slices with a thin film of the oil mixture. Season the slices with another ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

4. Brush the grill grate and coat it with oil. Put the eggplant slices on the grill directly over the heat, cover, and cook until browned and tender, 6 to 8 minutes, turning halfway through. If your grill has a temperature gauge, it should stay at around 375°F.

5. If using a 3- or 4-burner grill, turn off the middle burner(s). If using a 2-burner grill,