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THE GRILL

Gas:

Direct heat, medium (350°F)

Clean, oiled grate

Charcoal:

Direct heat, medium ash

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

Clean, oiled grate on lowest setting

Wood:

Direct heat, medium ash

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

Clean, oiled grate set 4 inches above the fire

INGREDIENTS (MAKES 4 SERVINGS—ABOUT 2 CUPS)

Oil for coating grill grate and screen

2 avocados, halved and pitted

1 small tomato

1 jalapeño or 2 serrano chiles

1 thick slice onion

2 cloves garlic, unpeeled

No-stick spray oil

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Juice of ½ lime

½ teaspoon kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the grill as directed.

2. Brush the grill grate and coat it with oil. Spray the avocados, tomato, jalapeño, onion, and garlic with oil. If not using a grill screen, push skewers or toothpicks through the jalapeño, onion, and garlic to keep them from falling through the grill or falling apart. Put the vegetables cut-sides down on the grill or on a heated, oiled grill screen and cook until nicely grill-marked, 6 to 12 minutes, turning a few times. The tomato and avocado should still be fairly firm and will be done first. The pepper skin should be blistered and will take the longest.

3. Scoop the avocado from its peel and mash in a medium bowl. Peel the grilled garlic, and remove the cores and seeds of the jalapeños (or leave in the seeds for more heat). Finely chop the garlic, jalapeños, tomato, and onion, and add to the bowl. Stir in the cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Serve immediately, or let cool and then cover with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

Fire-Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Here’s your basic salsa verde made with tomatillos, those wonderfully tart fruiting vegetables that resemble a small yellow-green tomato covered with a thin, papery husk. Be sure to remove the husks before grilling the tomatillos. The charred bits of tomatillo skin and jalapeno give this relish a well-rounded rustic flavor. Serve it as a chip dip or with grilled beef, lamb, pork, poultry, or fish.

TIMING

Prep: 10 minutes

Grill: 5 to 10 minutes

GRILL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

• 5 or 6 skewers (optional)

• Long-handled tongs

• Long-handled spatula

GETTING CREATIVE

• For Grilled Tomato Salsa, replace the tomatillos with 4 medium beefsteak tomatoes. Halve the tomatoes crosswise and dig out the seeds and pulp with your fingertips over a bowl. Grill as directed. Finely chop all of the vegetables by hand and combine with the remaining ingredients in a bowl, along with any accumulated juices. Add 2 to 3 teaspoons lime juice.

• Replace the jalapeños with 4 serrano chiles or 2 small canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce. If using canned chipotle chiles, skip the grilling step and put the chipotles into the food processor along with the other grilled vegetables.

• For a thinner sauce to serve over grilled fish or pork, stir in a few tablespoons of water along with the cilantro.

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THE GRILL

Gas:

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

Clean, oiled grate on lowest setting

Charcoal:

Direct heat, medium ash

10-by-10-inch charcoal bed (about 3 dozen coals)

Clean, oiled grate on lowest setting

Wood:

Direct heat, light ash

10-by-10-inch bed, 1 inch deep

Clean, oiled grate set 3 inches above the fire

INGREDIENTS (MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS)

Oil for coating grill grate

1 pound tomatillos (10 to 12 medium), husked and rinsed

1 onion, peeled and cut crosswise into 4 thick slices

2 cloves garlic, unpeeled

2 small jalapeño chiles

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the grill as directed.

2. Brush the grill grate and coat it with oil. Grill the tomatillos, onion slices, garlic, and chiles directly on the grill grate until blistered and blackened all over, turning occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes total. Use a spatula and tongs to turn the onion slices to keep them from falling apart. Or you could skewer