Summer on the grill

Cooking the flattened chicken under a brick and away from direct heat produces some mouth-watering results.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

The skin turns golden and crisp while the meat stays moist and juicy if the indirect-heat method is correctly applied.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Caramelized spears of pineapple shimmer in a sweet and creamy rum glaze.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

The glaze features dark rum and Balinese long pepper, which grows in the Indonesian island’s jungles and has a rich, spicy essence.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Dry rubs can be fun to experiment with. Try a simple, spice-laden one with roughly equal measures of salt and some kind of red pepper — such as paprika or powdered chile — and then complement with dried herbs and spices. Add a little sugar and adjust to taste.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Such simple rubs can turn out so good that you might want to go “naked” and not serve spareribs and other meats with barbecue sauce. If you prefer a sauce, brush it on for only the last five or so minutes of grilling.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Indian-spiced lamb in a marinade of yogurt, garlic, ginger, chile and cumin is first seared over the flame, then cooked in indirect heat until brown and crusty.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Grilled rustic bread slathered with a mix of butter and cinammon makes for a golden complement to fresh strawberries in a simple syrup of lavender.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Sandwich Nutella and toasted pecans within thin slices of pound cake for a grilled concoction that oozes a nutty, chocolaty lushness. Cool it down with a scoop of ice cream.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)