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I looked out Amanda Hesser’s kitchen door at one of my very first Food52 photo shoots, and there Merrill was: Out on the deck, wrangling a very hot, flaming grill. Badass.

This was back when we shot everything we put up on the site in Amanda’s house—and on her nightstand, as it happens—and Merrill was grilling chicken for this noodle salad. (I’d suggest you make it soon.)

I learned early that Merrill knew her way around grilling season, and well. In case you didn’t, or still don’t know, her all-purpose grilling marinade should help with that.

Mix up a jar of this now and stash it in the fridge—it’ll keep well, and you can use it for all of the random meats and proteins (and hey, also vegetables) that guests bring over this weekend. Then do it all again the next.

Here’s Merrill:

Combine 1/2 a large onion, 6 cloves garlic, half a bunch of parsley (or cilantro or whatever fresh herbs you have on hand), a spoonful of Dijon, salt, pepper, lemon zest, and a good few glugs of olive oil in a blender. Blend until smooth and just a tad loose—then slather your meat (I like to use spatchcocked chickens) with 2/3 of it and refrigerate for 6 hours. (Save the remaining marinade to brush on during grilling.) I’ve also coated thick strips of firm, white fish with the marinade and grilled them; it would work well with lamb, beef, and pork too.

And in case you need a hand lighting your grill this weekend—here’s Merrill on that beat, too:

How to Light a Grill

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I have a thing for most foods topped with a fried egg, a strange disdain for overly soupy tomato sauce, and I can never make it home without ripping off the end of a newly-bought baguette. I like spoons very much.