Grilled Vegetable Salad

6. Go with a variety of produce for color and texture contrasts: corn, bell pepper, poblano chile, and green onions.

7. Add avocado to the mix: People don't think to grill avocado, but it adds fantastic smoky depth to the buttery fruit.

8. Crank up the grill heat to high for optimum charring—it's the browned and blackened bits that really make the salad shine.

9. Watch carefully, since each item has its own ideal doneness—the green onions need to brown and wilt slightly; the peppers should fully blacken so they can be easily peeled; and the corn has to be turned often so it browns evenly. The avocado gets just a minute or two—it'll grow bitter if cooked too long.

10. Bring the chopped salad together with some black beans, a touch of earthy cumin, and fresh lime juice and cilantro to brighten flavors.

View Recipe: Grilled Corn, Poblano, and Black Bean Salad