This is a favorite of the barbecue circuit and it is one of those recipes that taste much better than it sounds. Even the biggest naysayer can’t keep his hands off the cabbage once it is done. The real trick is to cook it until so tender that you can pluck a leaf from the center without any resistance.

There is nothing easier than grilling boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The trick is to brush with oil and grill over direct heat, turning only once during the cooking time.

Mango adds a cooling sweet tartness to this traditional Mexican combination of citrus and jicama. The grating of the jicama gives this cool side dish the texture of an American slaw and is a welcome change from the cabbage and mayo slaws that we eat all summer!

Pork tenderloin is one of the most versatile meats to grill. It’s great grilled with no more than salt and pepper, adapts to almost any barbecue rub and is easy to cut into kebobs. Of all the ways, I grill pork tenderloin, simple salt and pepper is still my favorite.

Grilling the watermelon adds a smoky note that turns the watermelon from sweet to savory and the heat concentrates the flavor. Dressed with a mixture of fresh lime and fresh orange juice re-creates the sour oranges of the Caribbean and balances the sweet watermelon. Finally, the fresh mint cools the heat of the cayenne pepper and makes the grilled watermelon salad refreshing and perfect for the dog-days of summer! If you want it to be more substantial, add the sprinkle of crumbled feta for a new-wave Greek salad!

Mark Bittman’s variation of Chris Schlesinger’s signature tuna recipe. Mark says, “Chris’s dish is great as long as you can get spanking fresh, sushi-quality tuna, but home cooks may have a hard time finding it-or paying for it. My alternative recipe is less “pure” but works quite well with ordinary supermarket tuna, which is likely not fabulous enough to eat raw or very rare, but still good. You can use the grill (The Girls obviously prefer the grill!) or stovetop for the method, both with great success.”