The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen

Why stick with chicken or eggplant? Portobello Parmesan is just as tasty—and it doesn't need any breading. Choose mushrooms that are fresh (you'll know because they'll still be curled up around the edges). Older ones are flat and won't hold the filling as well.

Make a batch of this versatile sauce, then serve it all week. You can spoon it over grilled fish, chicken, or pork—or use it to fill quesadillas.

This exotic dish is cooked on the grill (in a disposable pan), so there's very little cleanup.

While you're at it, double this recipe, then freeze the extra grilled focaccia. (Rewarm the thawed bread right on the rack in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes.) It's great with soup or salad, or as a snack with drinks.

This vegetarian sandwich has very little oil—but it's still plenty indulgent, thanks to two cheeses and the sweet grilled peppers. Make it in a panini press or pan, or on the barbecue.

If you've got some fresh-caught trout, we know just what to do with it. This incredible main-plus-side requires very few ingredients and is easy enough to make at your campsite or cabin. (And you can use store-bought, too: In that case, you should ask your fishmonger to bone and butterfly the whole trout for you.)

Look for marinated feta in the refrigerated section of the supermarket where other specialty cheeses are sold.

Summer—with its great produce—is a good time to go vegetarian.

Make the fruit salad, throw the fish on the grill, and you've got dinner.

As this recipe proves, barbecue isn't just about the meat. Veggies taste even better when they're grilled. Add some crumbled Maytag blue cheese and a bright dressing for a meal that even a carnivore could love.

Peperonata—an Italian condiment usually made of sautéed tomatoes, peppers, onions, and garlic—is spiced up with a poblano chile. Here, we've added chicken breasts to turn it into a satisfying main course. Serve Italian-style, over polenta, or Mexican—style, wrapped in warm tortillas with slices of avocado and dollops of sour cream. Instead of chicken, you can also spoon the peperonata over grilled flank steak or crusty grilled bread.

The perfect dessert for your next barbecue: This chilled pie is an appealing combination of chocolate, berries, and lemon. And all it takes is a food processor and a whisk. The crust—made from chocolate wafer cookies and melted chocolate—is simply pressed into the pan. The filling is just a mix of sweet, bright, and tangy ingredients.

Vichyssoise (pronounced vih-shee-swazh) is a cold potato and leek soup. This version adds the pure flavor of asparagus, along with a hint of mint.

This healthy main is cooked completely on the grill and is flavored by a simple, four-ingredient marinade—so there's very little cleanup required. Some grilled rustic bread would be nice alongside. And if you happen to have fig balsamic vinegar, use it in place of regular. It makes an excellent complement to the other flavors.

This hearty dish averages about $2 per serving. It's ideal for breakfast or brunch (accompanied by a salad).

There's no oil in this easy main course and, if you'd like to make it even healthier, low-fat or nonfat yogurt can be used instead of the whole-milk variety. Round out the meal with dal (Indian-style lentils) or some sautéed spinach. The yogurt marinade is also great for chicken.

This recipe makes enough salad for a picnic in the park, or to pack in your lunch all week.

These tart pastries are best straight out of the oven, but if you have any left over (or if you make extra), they're nice for breakfast, too.

Start steaming some rice right after you preheat the barbecue to make this a complete meal.

These cold Vietnamese-style noodles are perfect for a warm night. The rice stick noodles, fish sauce, and chili-garlic sauce can be found in the Asian section of many supermarkets and at As ian markets.