"The mashed potatoes were on the plank too. It was kind of nice," said the avid griller about the meal he ate a couple of years ago in a Michigan restaurant.

Since then, he has added plank grilling to his repertoire, usually cooking salmon on a cedar plank.

"It's delicious. It's flaky and moist and has a smoky flavor. Just talking about it makes me want to get some," said Hiler, of Springfield, Ill.

The centuries-old method of cooking food on a wooden board became popular in the last few years among restaurant chefs who went looking for a way to add flavor to food without the addition of extra calories. Now it's catching on with home grillers.

"The most popular plank is cedar, but you can use any good, strong wood," said Geoffrey Bullard, master griller and chief designer for Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet ( www.kalamazoogourmet.com), a Kalamazoo, Mich.-based firm that designs and builds outdoor kitchens and cooking equipment.

Each type of wood imparts a unique flavor to the food cooked on it. Cedar offers a sweet, spicy and smoky taste. If you want more sweetness, try maple, apple or cherry. For a more intense smoky note, use alder, hickory or white oak.

Besides online barbecue sites, ready-to-go grilling planks can be found at specialty-food shops, home stores and even supermarkets. Prices range from $4 to $9 per board.

Hiler makes his own planks by cutting lumber to the right size, but he cautions that the wood must be clean, untreated and unpainted. Commercial planks come in many sizes; 15-by-7-inches, 12-by-5-inches and 6-by-5 1/2-inches are typical. Smaller sizes work for single servings, but if you plan to serve a family-sized entree on the plank along with a side dish, consider a larger size.

Ideal thickness ranges from 1/4-inch to 3/4-inch. Thinner slats are considered disposable and should be used just once. Thicker boards can be reused a few times. Planks that are too thick won't work because they don't transfer heat.

Before grilling, soak the plank in liquid for four to eight hours. This minimizes burning and lets the food cook fully before the board dries out and catches fire. Although water is the usual medium, Bullard suggests soaking in fruit juice, tea or wine for a more nuanced flavor.

After soaking, some people sterilize the board. Place it cooking-side-down over medium heat for three to five minutes.

The last step in prepping the board is to rub the cooking side lightly with olive oil or vegetable oil. For more flavor, Bullard recommends also rubbing the plank with a clove of garlic, smearing it with a spice rub or laying a bed of fresh herbs on the wood before placing the main course on top of it.

All types of foods can be plank grilled, but the cooking method is especially fish-friendly.

"With most beef, pork and chicken, you can achieve a smoky flavor with hickory chips. But you can't just throw a fish fillet on the grates," Hiler said. "The plank keeps the fish together and gives it that smoky flavor."

Season the fish, place it on the slat and set the whole thing on the grill.

Because the fish is being cooked indirectly, it will take longer than if you grilled the fish directly. Plan on about 50 percent more cooking time versus regular grilling when using a board. Expect the plank to start smoking after 15 to 20 minutes. During the cooking time you can baste the fish with lemon juice, butter, soy sauce or anything that isn't flammable. Don't flip the fish. And keep the grill lid closed.

"It's a simple way to cook delicate pieces because you have a barrier between the flame. It gives you more give," Bullard said. "And it adds another depth of flavor, another level of complexity."

You can use direct or indirect heat, on either a gas or charcoal grill. However you cook it, be sure to keep a spray bottle of water handy to douse any flames. The smoldering of the wood is what creates the smoke and flavors the fish. You just don't want to set the deck on fire.

"Never leave your post," Bullard advised.

Plank grilling is an easy way for the backyard chef to achieve a dramatic presentation.

"Wow!" is what Hiler's guests said the first time he served salmon on a board.

"Put the whole fillet on the plank and garnish it with lemon zest and dill sprigs. Put some mashed sweet potatoes on the side and bring it to the table. It's a pretty thing."

Bullard agrees.

"It's the easiest way to fake being a gourmet chef."

SMOKY SALMON

4 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons salt

1 salmon fillet

Yields 4 servings.

In small bowl, thoroughly together sugar, onion and garlic powders, and salt.

Rub dry mixture into fish fillet, being firm yet gentle. Slowly work your mix into the fish. Marinate for up to 12 hours.

Place fish skin-side down on prepared alder, apple or oak plank (soaked for 4 to 8 hours in water).

Grill at 350 F for 15 to 25 minutes or until fish is flaky.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 260 calories, 43 g protein, 13 g carbohydrate, 4 g fat, 100 mg cholesterol, 0 g fiber, 1,270 mg sodium.

PLANKED SALMON

1 salmon fillet with skin on

Juice and zest from 1 lemon

1/4 cup white wine

1 tablespoon fresh dill

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

Yields 4 servings.

Soak untreated 16-by-14-inch cedar plank in water at least 4 hours.

Wash salmon; pat dry with paper towels.

Combine lemon, wine, dill, and salt and pepper. Marinate salmon in lemon mixture for about 30 minutes. Reserve some marinade.

Place salmon on plank skin-side down, pour reserve marinade over fish and cook over indirect high heat on charcoal or gas grill for about 30 minutes. Fish should be opaque and flake with fork with an internal temperature of 125 F.

Wood chips may be added for those who prefer a smokier flavor. Garnish with lemon wedges and dill sprigs.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 230 calories, 43 g protein, 2 g carbohydrate, 4 g fat, 100 mg cholesterol, 0 g fiber, 690 mg sodium.

SWEET BACON BITES

20 whole roasted almonds, unsalted

20 pitted prunes

10 slices bacon

Yields 20 appetizers.

Soak 20 plain toothpicks in water 1 hour (or overnight).

Stuff 1 almond into each prune. Cut uncooked bacon slices in 1/2. Wrap bacon around prune and secure with toothpick. Place on prepared plank soaked in water or apple juice. Grill 20 to 25 minutes or until bacon is crisp.

Serve hot as an appetizer.

Nutritional analysis per appetizer: Per piece: 80 calories, 2 g protein, 6 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 95 mg sodium.

SURPRISINGLY DELICIOUS STUFFED CHICKEN BREAST

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup couscous

1/2 cup prepared pesto

Salt and pepper, to taste

Yields 4 servings.

In small saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil. Add couscous, cover and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes.

Stir pesto into couscous mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Butterfly chicken breasts and fill with stuffing. Place on prepared alder, oak or cedar plank (soaked for 4 to 8 hours in water).

Brush lightly with oil 2 or 3 times during cooking process. Grill 30 to 35 minutes (approximately 350 F) or until juices run clear.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 280 calories, 13 g protein, 24 g carbohydrate, 15 g fat, 20 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 1,010 mg sodium.

BLUE CHEESE VENISON TENDERLOIN

1 venison tenderloin

3 tablespoons red wine

5 cloves garlic, minced (use more or less depending on preference)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste (optional)

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

Yields 6 servings.

Rinse meat and pat dry with paper towel. Poke several small holes in meat with knife or fork.

Place meat, wine, garlic, oregano and oil in resealable plastic bag. Shake mixture. Place in refrigerator marinate from 2 to 10 hours.

Place meat on hot, greased grill. Sear on each side for about 1 minute. After searing, place meat on prepared alder, cedar or oak plank (soaked for 4 to 8 hours in water).

Grill at 375 F for 15 to 25 minutes or until meat is cooked to your preference. When tenderloin has about 5 more minutes of cooking, sprinkle blue cheese over it. Let meat sit 5 minutes before slicing.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 230 calories, 36 g protein, 1 g carbohydrate, 8 g fat, 135 mg cholesterol, 0 g fiber, 160 mg sodium.

SUCCULENT PINEAPPLE DESSERT

1 fresh pineapple, peeled and cut in 1/2 lengthwise

1/2 cup rum

Mint leaves for garnish (optional)

Yields 4 to 6 servings.

Slice pineapple into 1-inch semicircles. Keep pineapple pieces in order for best presentation on plank.

Place pineapple in resealable plastic bag with rum. Marinate overnight.

Place pineapple on prepared maple, oak or cherry plank (soaked for 4 to 8 hours in water). Brush top and sides of pineapple with canola oil.

Grill at 375 F for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned on edges. Garnish with mint, if desired. Serve warm or cold.