Curtis Stone's Go-To Grilling Sauce (and How to Use It)

Good food doesn't need to be complicated. Grilling is a cinch, and, fortunately, so is my favorite goes-with-everything sauce. It takes just five ingredients you can find at any supermarket: capers, parsley, shallots, lemon, and olive oil. (I add the brine from the capers, too. Why let that vinegary essence go to waste?) This simple sauce is a warm-weather staple for me since it gives a bright herbal boost to almost any meat or veggie. All I have to do is fire up the grill.

Get the recipe: Caper-Lemon Vinaigrette

One thing I love to toss on the grates is halloumi, a deliciously salty and mild Greek cheese that holds up well to heat; it's the perfect pairing for marinated roasted red peppers.

Photo: Linda Xiao

Get the recipe: Grilled Halloumi with Marinated Red Peppers

I also love to spoon the sauce over shrimp skewers studded with chunks of ciabatta that soak up all the flavorful juices.

Photo: Linda Xiao

Get the recipe: Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Caper-Lemon Vinaigrette

And a drizzle of it makes a zesty finish for a platter of couscous topped with grilled tomatoes, eggplant, green beans, and avocado, which softens nicely and takes on a tasty charred finish. Feast on any of these easy, satisfying dishes, and I think you'll agree that simplicity is bliss.

Photo: Linda Xiao

Get the recipe: Grilled Vegetable Couscous