Grilling

John serves the peppers as an appetizer with toasted country bread.

Some interesting food folklore: In his desperation to stay at the gambling table and assuage his hunger at the same time, Englishman John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich, asked his manservant to bring him two pieces of bread with some meat in between, thereby inventing — need we say more?

Instead of burger buns, we like to serve the lamb with lentil and rice salad and fresh greens. Of course, the burgers are equally delicious the traditional way. Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 25 min

Serve with: Grilled herbed potato slices and a salad of mixed baby greens and chopped beefsteak tomatoes, dressed with a red-wine vinaigrette. Dessert: Purchased plum tart with whipped crème fraîche.

Serve this with crusty bread to soak up the delicious olive oil.

Sofrito is a sautéed vegetable mixture used as a seasoning in much of Latin America and the Caribbean. It typically contains garlic, onion, bell pepper, coriander, and sometimes tomatoes or ham, although the recipe varies among countries. In our version, we've omitted the oil normally used to cook the ingredients and instead simply puréed the vegetables. This recipe was created to accompany Grilled Citrus Salmon. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Yakitori at its simplest is a chicken shish kabab with a very Japanese flavor. Pieces of dark meat are served either by themselves, neatly speared onto the ends of small bamboo skewers (three makes a serving), or interspersed with bits of green bell pepper or scallion. As the meat is grilled, it is dipped into a sweetened soy-based sauce. The servings are tantalizingly small, but you can have as many as you want. If you are hungry enough for a full meal, you can serve yakitori on a bowl of rice with tea and pickles on the side.

Todd English — the chef/owner of Olives and the four Figs restaurants, all in and around Boston — was named Best Chef in the Northeast by the James Beard Foundation. He's also the author of two cookbooks. For his "clambake" extravaganza, you'll need a grill with a lid.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Potatoes are the typical main ingredient in this classic garlicky Greek spread. The use of white beans in their place-plus the addition of tahini along with lots of fresh mint and parsley-transforms the easy appetizer into a whole new treat.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 45 min