Every Saturday, there's a farmer's market that's about a ten minute walk from my house. I headed down there today, coffee in hand, ready to navigate the armies of yuppie moms chatting on iPhones while pushing gigantic strollers (these women make my brain make this noise: arrrrrrrwwwwweeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaggggggg!!!!!).

The sun was shining, the strawberries were abundant, the Greenpeace petitioners were armed with smiles and catchy opening lines. Right away I smelled something intoxicating. Lemony. Basily.



Lemon basil!

As soon as I saw it I started craving snap peas (why? Why, body?) so I grabbed some of those, too, figuring that I could saute the two together with garlic and oil and nonchalantly produce a killer side dish.  [Side note: that whole "nonchalantly saute things together" tactic almost always results in disaster. Someday. Some. Day.] I picked up a bunch of other fruits and vegetables (I could make a list but that's boring) and then I saw: the meat lady.

The meat lady is a lady who, I presume, owns a ranch, or works for one. I suppose I could ask her. I'm rude. Usually I'm just distracted by the coolers full of delicious-looking beef and buffalo steaks, short ribs, briskets...drool.

She had London Broil on sale, so I snagged some to throw on the grill tonight, plus some beef ribs to cook up tomorrow. It's Fourth of July weekend, which for us is always a three-day meat party. That's what she said, etc.

My brother makes KILLER ribs, so I'm hoping I can catch him on the phone tonight or tomorrow to get some instructions. He and his wife live in North Carolina, where BBQ is king, and I am jealous jealous jealous all the time of their access to amazing pulled pork.


ANYway, got the meat and veggies home, tried to find a marinade in one of my myriad cookbooks, but the only ones I could find featured red wine, which I don't have. Well, I do, but the only bottle in my wine rack currently is a super nice one we got during a trip to Napa, and I want to DRINK it with this steak, not cook with it.

Mom says:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 cloves of minced garlic
Chopped fresh parsley
Chopped lemon basil (double use! It's like the mystery ingredient in today's Iron Chef: San Francisco)
1 tsp honey
pinch of salt
freshly ground pepper
Mix it together in a ziploc bag, add the steak, massage it (no happy ending!)
Throw it in the fridge for a few hours until we're ready to grill

Sear on high heat, then turn it down to medium and cook for just a few minutes on each side.
Yummmmers.

Side note: We were walking the dogs and I saw what I think is wild fennel, growing by the side of the road. I recognized the feathery leaves, and when I crushed a few between my fingers, they smelled like licorice. Tell-tale sign! I'm going to sneak back over there one night next week with a shovel and try to dig up a bulb. Even though it's growing on public city land (ie, a little island that cuts down a street near our house), I still feel like a weirdo creep about it, so I want to dig under the cover of night. Mysterious!