Grilling

Top-of-season asparagus is enhanced only by a little olive-oil cooking spray and salt in a simple and sensational side dish.

Fragrant smoke from the mesquite wood chips makes a fine counterpoint to the sweetness of the lobster in this salad. Finish the meal with lemon ice drizzled with tequila, and pass a plateful of sugar cookies.

Cabbage, cucumbers, carrots, and lots of fresh mint accent the salad. Offer chilled beer or a fruity white wine alongside.

Accompany the shrimp with grilled zucchini and yellow squash.

These sandwiches can be wrapped in foil for easy transport. Bring along some olives for nibbling and bottles of mineral water or a thermos of iced tea for drinking.

Allen Susser is the man behind Chef Allen's, a favorite special-occasion restaurant near Miami. (He is also a cookbook author, has his own line of sauces, puts out a newsletter and has a Web site—www.chefallen.com.) Calling his food New World Cuisine, Susser uses an international repertoire of cooking techniques to prepare dishes with the best local ingredients. His focus on simple but powerful flavors shows in this dish.

Not only is the yogurt marinade an excellent tenderizer, but it imparts a nice, mild tang as well. Begin marinating the chicken one day in advance.