Grilling season is here. Some grilling foods for menu include this Tropical Chicken.

Some of us grill throughout the year, happily tending to the flames and the food as flakes of snow fall from the night sky. For people who are slightly more sane, though, the grilling season is just beginning.

There is something primal about grilling. It also happens to be delicious.

Flame, fat and food. It is cooking at its most elemental. It's easy, and it's a simple way to get big flavors out of food. The most commonly grilled foods are hot dogs, hamburgers and steak, in that order. Each is adequate in its own way, but nothing special. That's why we're not going to talk about any of them. Except steak.

Before that, though, let's begin with chicken. Throughout the South is a fast-food chain called Pollo Tropical. With Cuban-inspired flavors, it may be my favorite fast food.

Grilled chicken, served with rice and beans, is the signature dish. The chicken is clearly marinated in some combination of citrus juices, but I didn't know what they were.

I suspect that they marinate their chicken in a combination of pineapple juice and bitter orange juice. Bitter orange juice is not impossible to find here, but it isn't easy. So we substituted lime juice and orange juice for the bitter orange.

You cannot argue with the result, a bright and lively citrus flavor that perfectly accompanies the chicken and the light char from the grill.

One of the meats that best takes to grilling is lamb; it is hugely popular around much of the world. Knowing how much lamb is grilled all around the Mediterranean Sea, I created a dish using primarily Mediterranean flavors.

Olive oil formed the base, and because onions go well with lamb, I sliced an entire onion. Garlic was a given, and I added cumin, which is frequently used along the eastern part of the Mediterranean. For a bit of a bite, I added a bit of unMediterranean ginger.

I marinated the lamb. The spices remain subtle, serving only to highlight the flavor of the grilled lamb.

My favorite way of making steak in the whole world is called Terrorized Steak, and it involves creating a paste of fresh rosemary, fresh marjoram, plenty of garlic, olive oil, salt, two kinds of pepper and cognac.

This recipe is sublime; you get a powerfully flavorful piece of meat with a superb outer char and a hearty, perfectly cooked interior.

A well-grilled piece of meat deserves a well-grilled vegetable. I reached for the old reliable, ridiculously easy, grilled corn. Soak corn, still in its husk, in water. Place on a grill. Cook until done and savor the deep, nutty flavor.

And because the grill was still hot, I decided to grill a dessert. I don't think I made up the idea of a grilled chocolate-and-marmalade sandwich but I had wanted to make one for some time.

It is so good, you just might want to skip the meat and the vegetables altogether.

Yields: 2 to 4 servings2 pounds cut-up chicken, your favorite pieces1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced1 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves, chopped1 jalapeño, seeded and minced1 tablespoon cumin1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves½ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon black pepper¼ teaspoon white pepper4 cups sour orange juice (or 2½ cups lime juice and 1½ cups orange juice), see note1 cup pineapple juicePat the chicken dry. With the edge of knife or a mortar and pestle, mash together the garlic, cilantro, jalapeño, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper until it forms a coarse paste. A sprinkling of kosher salt will help it form a paste, if necessary. Spread the paste evenly over the chicken.Mix together the sour orange juice and the pineapple juice in a large bowl. Add the chicken to the juices, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight.Arrange the grill for indirect cooking and heat to medium hot. Place the chicken on the side of the grill away from the heat, and cover. Cook 40 to 50 minutes for white meat and 1 hour for dark meat, turning once.Serve with rice and black beans.Note: Sour orange juice or bitter orange juice is often available at Hispanic food markets.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings1 (4-pound) boneless leg of lambSaltBlack pepper¼ cup olive oil1 onion, thinly sliced2 cloves garlic, minced1 teaspoon cumin1 teaspoons ground gingerUnroll and pat dry the leg of lamb. Season it generously on both sides with salt and pepper.In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, onion, garlic, cumin and ginger. Roll the lamb in the bowl to coat all sides, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.Prepare a hot grill for indirect heat. Cook on the part of the grill away from the heat, covered, for 1 hour or until the lamb is cooked medium rare or medium (140 to 160 degrees).Remove the meat from the heat and cover it loosely with foil. Allow it to rest at least 20 to 30 minutes before carving and serving.

Yield: 4 servingsLeaves from 6 sprigs marjoram, about 5 inches longLeaves from 6 sprigs rosemary, about 5 inches long8 garlic cloves1 teaspoon kosher salt1 teaspoon red pepper flakes2 tablespoons cognac2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper4 strip steaks, 1½ inches thick, about 8 ounces eachIn a mortar or mini food processor, pound or process the marjoram, rosemary, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, cognac, olive oil and black pepper into a coarse paste. Rub the paste evenly on both sides of the steaks.Allow the steaks to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 1½ hours before grilling.Grill the steaks directly over a medium-hot fire, turning occasionally, until they are crusty on the outside. Cook them about 5 minutes on each side for medium rare. Allow the steaks to rest briefly before serving.

Yield: 1 sandwich2 slices white bread1 ounce chocolate2 tablespoons orange marmalade1/2 tablespoon butter, meltedPlace chocolate on 1 slice of bread, covering as much of the bread as you can. You may have to break or chop the chocolate to do so.Spread the marmalade on the other slice, and put the slices together as a sandwich. Brush melted butter on both sides of the sandwich.Place on a medium hot grill and cook until both pieces of bread are toasted and have grill marks and the chocolate is melted, turning once. Covering the grill will help it cook faster.