Grillin' with Gas

Book excerpt: After picking up a few tricks for 2007's Barbecue Nation, Thompson presents another volume aimed at backyard cooks ready to sweat a little for their meal. Few arcane ingredients or lengthy preparations are called for; Thompson's cornbread requires only six ingredients, his New York Strip just five. Geared for gas, many of Thompson's dishes require little grilling time, and are in general an easy transfer to charcoal. While it's easy to throw some wood chips on a charcoal fire to add smokiness, Thompson offers a handful of easy gas grill work-arounds that diners will never suspect are substitutes. The recipe deck is stacked with favorites like burgers (including lamb, salmon and tuna variations), steaks and sides like baked beans, cole slaw and potato salad, making this ideal for cooks still in their honeymoon stage with the new grill. More adventurous palates should enjoy flavorful riffs on North African Grilled Shrimp (topped with a burst of lemon and crunchy pine nuts) and Cornish game hens, which get a lift from a blueberry, garlic, thyme and vinegar marinade. Finished with sound advice on everything from buying a grill to choosing the right cut of steak, Thompson's book should prove as useful as an extra set of tongs. Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.