A griddle for the grill

Outdoor enthusiasts who have turned asparagus, zucchini, onions, and peppers on a hot, smoky grill, then eaten the delicious lightly charred vegetables, know the joys of this cooking method. Undoubtedly, those same cooks have also watched vegetables slip through the grill rack into the fire. Gone forever! There are all kinds of complicated pans to prevent this mishap. Most are cumbersome; all are hard to clean. Sur La Table's stainless steel grill griddle ($20 for a 9 3/4-by-14-inch pan) tucks neatly to one side of the grill. Pack the vegetables on it because they'll shrink as they cook. The rack does the job well. Alas, after a spin on the fire, it, too, is difficult to clean. It only shines once: The afternoon before you use it. Sur La Table, The Mall at Chestnut Hill, 199 Boylston St., 617-244-0213; or www.surlatable.com.