Chef Geoffrey Zakarian Spices Up Your Favorite BBQ Foods

New York chef Geoffrey Zakarian, author of "Town/Country: 150 Recipes for Life Around the Table," shares some easy recipes to spice up your next BBQ.

Gingered Coleslaw With Golden Raisins
Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 small head of savoy cabbage, cored
1 large carrot
1 Tablespoon finely minced ginger (1 1-inch piece)
1.5 teaspoons finely minced garlic (1 small clove)
3 Tablespoons mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
¼ cup yellow raisins
1 Tablespoon sherry vinegar
Fine sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and sugar to taste

Method:
1) Shred the cabbage and julienne the carrot (cut into slivers). Combine the cabbage and carrots in a bowl.
2) Add the ginger, garlic and mayonnaise. Mix well.
3) Heat the butter in a medium skillet over a medium flame.
4) Add the raisins and cook until soft and golden brown (about 2 minutes).
5) Add the warm raisins to the slaw and mix well.
6) Season with the vinegar and salt, pepper and sugar to taste.
7) Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tomato-Watermelon Salad
Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 pound of heirloom tomatoes (1 large, 2 medium or 3 small) cut into wedges slightly larger than bite-size
1.5 pounds of watermelon cut into wedges slightly larger than bite-size
1 mango peeled and sliced into wedges slightly larger than bite-size
2 Tablespoons coarsely chopped celery leaves
1 Tablespoon coriander seeds, crushed
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 Tablespoons julienned basil leaves
Fine sea salt and cracked black pepper

Method:
1) Combine the tomatoes, watermelon, mango, celery leaves and coriander seeds in a large bowl.
2) Add the olive oil, dill and basil, and toss gently.
3) Season to taste with salt and pepper right before serving.
4) Place equal portions in small salad bowls and serve immediately.

Lobster Roll
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
Two 1.5-pound lobsters (to yield 1.5 to 2 cups cooked lobster meat)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
½ teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
2.5 Tablespoons Hellmann’s or homemade Mayonnaise, or more to taste
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Several Tablespoons of butter, softened
4 to 6 hot dog rolls
8 to 12 small leaves romaine lettuce, washed and cut to fit rolls

Method:
1) Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a boil over high heat.
2) Plunge the lobsters into the pot and cook for about 10 minutes.
3) Remove the lobsters from the pot, drain, and allow them to cool.
4) Preheat a grill or oven to 400°F.
5) Crack the lobster open, allow the juices to run out and then extract the meat from the tail, claws and body, and chop it into large bite-size chunks.
6) Place the lobster meat, chives, celery salt, tarragon, mayonnaise and lemon juice in a large bowl, and mix well.
7) Season the salad to taste with salt and pepper.
8) Spread a little butter on the inside of each hot dog roll and place the rolls on a grill or in the oven for a brief period to lightly toast.
9) Line each roll with 2 trimmed lettuce leaves, mound lobster salad on top and serve.