- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon anise seeds, ground coarse with a mortar and pestle or in an electric coffee grinder
- 3/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon anise seeds
- a 1-pound boneless sirloin steak (about 1 inch thick)
- olive oil for brushing steak
- (accompaniment if desired)
- 2 small fennel bulbs (sometimes call anise, about 1 pound), stalks trimmed flush with bulb
- olive oil for brushing fennel
- 1/2 lemon
- Prepare grill.
- Make butter: In a small bowl stir together butter ingredients with salt and pepper to taste until well blended and juice is incorporated.
- Grill Steaks: In a heavy-duty sealable plastic bag or between 2 sheets of wax paper crush peppercorns and anise seeds with bottom of a heavy skillet. Pat steak dry and coat both sides with peppercorn mixture, pressing it in.
- Season steak with salt and brush both sides with oil. Grill steak on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals 4 to 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare meat. (Alternatively, steaks may be grilled in a hot well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat.) Transfer steak with tongs to a platter and let stand 10 minutes.
- Top steak with dollops of anise basil butter.
- Prepare grill.
- Quarter fennel bulbs lengthwise into wedges. In a steamer set over boiling water steam fennel, covered, until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Brush fennel quarters with oil and grill on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden. (Alternatively, fennel may be grilled in a hot well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat.) Transfer grilled fennel with tongs to a serving dish. Squeeze lemon to taste over fennel and season with salt and pepper.