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the scallion in half crosswise, and thinly slice the whiter half. Put the slices in a large bowl. Reserve the green half. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons sesame oil, the vegetable oil, the ginger, and the salt and pepper to the slices in the bowl. Add the mushrooms and toss to coat.

5. Brush the grill grate and coat it with oil. Put the mushrooms directly on the grill grate and cook until they are nicely grill-marked and tender, turning once, 5 to 8 minutes total. If the mushroom caps are small, grill them on a heated, oiled grill screen or grill tray.

6. Remove the mushrooms to a platter and drizzle sparingly with the reserved sauce. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Slice the remaining scallion greens lengthwise into thin strips. Arrange the scallion strips on the platter and serve with the remaining sauce.

Photo: Grilled Sesame Mushrooms

Grilled Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed mushrooms are typically served as pick-up hors d’oeuvres, which might be the way you will choose to serve these, although they are also an elegant garnish for any roast (we suggest Fire-Roasted Garlic-Herb Chicken, page 185). The cooking is done in two parts. You start by grilling the mushrooms on the stem side. You then remove the stems, use them in the stuffing, stuff the caps, and return the mushrooms to the grill to cook the cap sides and warm up the filling. All of this can be done directly over the flame that surrounds a roast being grilled with indirect heat.

TIMING

Prep: 15 minutes

Grill: 10 minutes

GRILL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

• Grill screen

• Long-handled spatula

GETTING CREATIVE

• Use portobello mushrooms to create entrée-size stuffed mushrooms. This amount of filling will be enough for 2 portobellos.

* * *

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 4 SERVINGS)

8 large mushrooms

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 slices bacon, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon chopped fresh herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, tarragon, or flat-leaf parsley

1 plum tomato, finely chopped

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon seasoned dried breadcrumbs

Oil for coating grill screen

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the grill as directed.

2. Brush the stem and bottom side of each mushroom with the olive oil. Grill the mushrooms, stem side down, covered, for 5 minutes, shifting the mushrooms once if they do not sit flat, to help them cook evenly. Remove and let cool for a few minutes.

3. Remove the stem from each mushroom all the way down into the cap, using a small knife. Chop the stems finely.

4. Cook the bacon in a small skillet over medium heat until crisp. Add the garlic, tomato, herbs, and chopped mushroom stems; sauté until the tomatoes soften, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the breadcrumbs.

5. Pour any liquid that has collected in the mushroom caps into the stuffing mixture. Fill the caps with the stuffing. Coat the grill screen with oil and put the stuffed mushroom caps on the screen.

6. Put the screen on the grill, cover, and cook until the caps are tender and bubbling around the edges, about 5 minutes. If your grill has a temperature gauge, it should stay at around 450°F.

Barbecued Beets with Orange Honey Butter

Beets are fantastic grilled. Like most root vegetables, beets are high in sugar, which melts and caramelizes on the grill and creates complex flavors. We like to grill these roots whole via indirect heat and then slice them, fan out the slices, and drizzle on a sauce. Lightly sweetened, honey-scented butter is just the ticket here.

TIMING

Soak wood chips: 1 hour

Prep: 5 minutes (plus 5 minutes for glaze)

Grill: 40 to 50 minutes

GRILL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

• 2 cups wood chips or chunks (apple, pear, or oak)

• Smoker box or foil packet, if using a gas grill (see page