Seven recipes for grilling globally

STRAIGHT UP GRILLING—DELICIOUS, RIGHT? Smoke, seasonings, maybe a little barbecue sauce and you’re good to go. But borrow some spices, cooking techniques and flavors from various stops around the world and some wonderful things happen. Just in time for Memorial Day, the semi-official start of grilling season, here are seven globally-inspired recipes.

Baked and Grilled Chinese Spareribs

As the name implies, the pork spareribs shown above are baked first, with a simple spice rub, then quickly grilled. They’re basted with a mix of hoisin sauce, sherry, soy sauce, chili paste, vinegar and peach preserves. They are also tender and delicious.

Goat Kebabs with Pomegranate-Cumin Glaze

Everywhere but here in America, goat is by far the most widely consumed red meat. This recipe, with a Middle Eastern marinade of cumin, cinnamon, oregano and pomegranate molasses, may well help you fall for mild-mannered goat meat.

Tandoori-spiced Grilled Salmon

These salmon fillets feature traditional Indian/Pakistani tandoori flavors—cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cayenne, fresh ginger and garlic—but not a traditional clay tandoor to create a smoky, aromatic main course.

Spicy Grilled Chicken Paillards

This nominally French recipe borrows a Moroccan flavor mix, including border-hopping cumin, paprika, sweetness and a little heat. It works equally well with chicken, turkey, veal, pork and beef. In all cases, pounding the meat into thin slabs tenderizes them and makes them cook quickly. As a bonus, it has a “bawdy” name.

Grilled Moroccan Flank Steak

Sticking with Morocco for the moment, a rub of cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, turmeric, garlic and fresh ginger and quick grilling deliver big, exotic flavor. Thinly sliced across the grain, these steaks are also wonderfully tender.

Pork Chops with Mango Cilantro Salsa

Mangoes are another border-hopping ingredient. Native to the Indian subcontinent, they are sold by the case here in our predominantly Mexican neighborhood, often from the backs of pickup trucks. Here, mango teams up with cilantro, tomatoes, red onions and jalapeño pepper to create a lively salsa for spicy grilled chops seasoned with cumin and chili powder.

Maple-Miso Grilled Chicken

Talk about multinational, the marinade for this grilled chicken uses miso paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar and mirin from Japan. Sesame oil and hot chili oil from China. And maple syrup from America’s Northeast. The result is a subtle, satisfying dish claiming no one nationality.