FOR EASY GRILLING

Teriyaki beef and asparagus skewers Grilled lobster tails with herb butter

Empty-nesting opens new doors. I’ve come to appreciate a mostly empty fridge: no pressure to cook. Grocery shopping takes less time, especially with an expanded budget. The menu contains new additions, all quick-cooking and much of it indulgent. What has not changed is the preferred cooking method: the grill.

BK (before kids), my husband and I toted our hibachi grill on driving vacations. We’d pull into a picnic grove, fire up the coals and sear a steak or two while sipping wine and tossing a salad. Once in a while, freshly caught fish graced the grates. As the family grew, we traded in the hibachi for a large, covered kettle grill. Our deck houses a huge gas grill complete with side burner and electronic ignition.

An evening in Japan fueled with chuhai (shochu and soda) rekindled my affection for the hibachi. My brother ignited small piles of binchotan (Japanese charcoal) in the bottom of his hibachi in short order. Then we spent the evening leisurely grilling yakitori: skewers of tender beef and asparagus. The hot coals made quick work of browning the beef into memorable goodness.

Now we employ a small, open grill for dinner for two on weeknights. Our hibachi takes center stage for grilled appetizers for friends before a night on the town. I even fire it up for the occasional meal for one.

Small grills, uncovered grills and makeshift fire pits are perfectly suited for quick-cooking foods that embrace the golden flavors rendered by high-heat cooking. Without a lid, open-grilling adds char and browning. Fast. More airflow encourages a hotter fire. Therefore, the foods best-suited to uncovered grilling include tender steaks, thin boneless cuts, delicate vegetables and seafood.

Lobster tails, an indulgent treat, take less than 10 minutes when butterflied open. I serve them with a pat of herb butter.

Skewers of tender beef steak and asparagus now make our go-to list of appetizers. For ease, I use bottled teriyaki sauce laced with garlic and sesame seeds.

Chilled chuhai or sake transport me back to the party back in Japan. Especially when it’s a party of two. Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 4 minutes Makes: 2 servings boneless beef or bison rib-eye steak, about 8 ounces, 1 inch thick medium-thick asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 1 lengths green onions, trimmed, cut into 1 lengths cup teriyaki sauce with sesame seeds Prepare a charcoal grill and let coals burn until they are covered with gray ash. Or preheat a gas grill until hot. Meanwhile, soak 4 bamboo skewers in water to cover, at least 20 minutes. Drain. Use a very sharp knife to slice the steak across the grain into wide slices. Thread, alternating, the beef slices, asparagus and onions on the skewers. Place the skewers directly over the hot coals. Brush with some of the teriyaki sauce. Grill until lightly charred, about 2 minutes. Gently flip the skewers and baste the other side with the sauce. Cook until steak is medium-rare, about 1 minute more. Remove from the grill, and drizzle with the remaining teriyaki sauce. Serve.

266 calories, 13 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 80 mg cholesterol, 8 g carbohydrates, 6 g sugar, 28 g protein, 1,433 mg sodium, 1 g fiber Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 8 minutes 2 servings to 4 tablespoons herb butter, recipe follows, at room temperature to 4 small lobster tails, about 5 ounces each Salt, freshly ground black pepper Extra-virgin olive oil Fresh chopped chives or parsley or a combination Prepare a charcoal grill; let coals burn until they are covered with gray ash. Or heat a gas grill until hot. Use a very sharp knife to butterfly the lobster in half by cutting through the shell but not completely through the underside. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil. Place lobsters over hot coals, flesh side down. Grill, uncovered, 4 minutes. Turn and cook until nearly opaque, another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a platter. Top each with a quarter of the herb butter. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve.