Cooks' Books by Lisa Messinger

"Italian Grill" by Mario Batali with Judith Sutton (Ecco, $19.99).

If there's anyone you want to kick off your grilling season, it's Mario Batali. Sure, he's got other interests, too, with owning not only award-winning restaurants in New York City, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Asia, a 50,000-square-foot Italian marketplace in the Big Apple, his friendship with actress Gwyneth Paltrow that took the two on a PBS culinary road trip series, authoring a slew of bestselling cookbooks and having hosted hit TV cooking shows, including daily on ABC's "The Chew."

However, his "Italian Grill," a new paperback published a few years ago as a hardcover, does little to contain his passion. It virtually leaps off the beautifully color photographed pages. His grilling skills should become as much of a trademark of his as his blonde ponytail and the shorts and orange plastic mod Crocs shoes that are part of his cooking uniform.

Traditionally both grill masters and Italian food connoisseurs keep it very simple. There's nothing wrong with that. But there is everything right with the more textured and involved flavor combinations that Batali puts together from his travels.

Look for basics, such as lemons, prosciutto, mint and many others, used as repeated foundations, but mixed up to unique perfection each time, like mint in a pesto served with a spit-roasted leg of lamb and then elsewhere it is food processed with seasonings and rubbed on grilled lamb chops. Another time it's sprinkled with chilies atop grilled artichokes.

Standout flavor is the common thread, which Batali describes here about the lamb chops scottadita:

"Loosely translated, scottadita means 'burn your fingers,' a reflection of the fact that these little chops are so irresistible you can't wait to start eating them. We usually cook them rare or medium-rare, but don't worry if you get distracted while you're tending them on the grill — even well-done, they are delicious. Scottadita is a classic Roman dish; the cumin yogurt adds a little bit of a North African touch, a nice foil for the mint-scented chops."

Elsewhere, it's literally flavor heaped expertly upon flavor, as in the prosciutto-filled fresh lemon vinaigrette that tops this grilled asparagus:

ASPARAGUS WITH LEMON-PROSCIUTTO VINAIGRETTE

2 pounds jumbo asparagus, tough bottom stalks snapped off

Grated zest and juice of 2 lemons

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto di Parma, cut into julienne strips

Yields 6 servings.

Place the asparagus in a baking dish large enough to hold it in no more than two layers.

In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest and juice, olive oil, garlic and dill and mix well. Pour over the asparagus, turning to coat. Set aside to marinate for at least 1 hour (or up to 6 hours), turning frequently.

Preheat a gas grill or prepare a fire in a charcoal grill.

Remove the asparagus from the marinade, draining it well; reserve the marinade. Working with groups of 3 spears each, skewer the asparagus with toothpicks. Place the spears side by side and run one toothpick through the stalks just under the tips and another one about 1 inch from the bottoms. Season the asparagus on both sides with kosher salt and black pepper and set on a platter.

Pour the marinade into a small bowl and whisk in the vinegar, then stir in the prosciutto. Set aside.

Place the asparagus on the hottest part of the grill and cook until lightly charred on the first side, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn and cook until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes longer.

Place the asparagus on a platter, carefully slipping out the toothpicks from each bunch as you do so. Stir the marinade again and pour it over the asparagus, using a fork to arrange the prosciutto attractively over the spears. Serve hot.

GRILLED LAMB CHOPS SCOTTADITA

Grated zest of 3 lemons

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint, plus 4 whole sprigs for garnish

1 tablespoon sugar

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

24 lamb rib chops (about 3 1/2 pounds)

1 cup goat's milk yogurt (such as Coach Farm brand)

1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted and finely ground in a spice grinder

Yields 6 servings.

Combine two-thirds of the lemon zest (reserve the rest for garnish), the chopped mint, sugar and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a food processor and process until the mixture has the texture of coarse sand.

Rub each chop well on both sides with a little of the mint mixture. Place on a baking sheet or platter, cover, and set aside at room temperature.

Preheat a gas grill or prepare a fire in a charcoal grill.

Combine the yogurt and cumin in a small bowl, blending well. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a small serving bowl. Set aside.

Grill the chops, turning once, until medium-rare, about 2 minutes on each side. Pile the chops on a serving platter and garnish with the reserved lemon zest and the mint sprigs. Set out the cumin yogurt next to the platter and serve immediately.

Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the author of seven food books, including "Mrs. Cubbison's Best Stuffing Cookbook" and "The Sourdough Bread Bowl Cookbook." She also writes the Creators News Service "After-Work Gourmet" column. To find out more about Lisa Messinger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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