Best Gremolata Butter Recipes

ASPARAGUS WITH GREMOLATA BUTTER

Steps:

• Cook asparagus in large pot of boiling salted water until just crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain; rinse with cold water to cool quickly, and drain again. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Pat dry; wrap in paper towels, then plastic, and refrigerate.)
• Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add lemon peel and garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add asparagus and toss to coat. Sprinkle lemon juice over. Sauté until asparagus is heated through and coated with butter sauce, about 3 minutes. Season asparagus with salt and pepper. Transfer to platter. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH ARTICHOKES AND GREMOLATA BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Mix butter, chopped parsley, lemon peel, and pressed garlic in small bowl to blend. Season butter mixture with salt and pepper.
• Place chicken on heavy large rimmed baking sheet; pat dry with paper towels. Gently slide hand under chicken breast skin to loosen from meat. Spread 2 tablespoons seasoned butter under skin and 1 tablespoon over chicken; sprinkle skin with salt and pepper. Transfer to oven; roast chicken 45 minutes.
• Arrange artichokes around chicken; baste with drippings. Continue roasting until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180°F, about 25 minutes longer. Transfer artichokes to edge of platter. Tilt chicken over baking sheet, allowing juices to empty onto sheet. Place chicken on platter. Brush 1 tablespoon seasoned butter over chicken. Pour pan juices into sauceboat; mix in remaining seasoned butter and lemon juice. Serve chicken and roasted artichokes with pan juices.

ROAST CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES WITH GREMOLATA BUTTER

Steps:

• Thoroughly season the inside and outside of the chicken with Essence. Cover the bird and return to the refrigerator for 1 hour to marinate.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Place the chicken on the center column of an angel food cake pan with the legs touching the bottom of the pan. Place the cake pan on top of a pizza pan or other flat pan with a small rim to catch any fat or juices which might escape.
• Roast the chicken for 2 to 2 1/2 hours (depending on your oven) until it's a beautiful coppery brown. Meanwhile, cut the potatoes in half widthwise. Place flat side down and have your child cut the halves in half. Repeat so that each potato is cut into 8 wedges. Place in a casserole dish. Repeat the process with the onion. Add the baby carrots. Drizzle veggies with some olive oil and Essence and toss. Cover and place in the oven after the chicken has been cooking for 1 hour.
• When chicken is done, remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Gremolata Butter:
• Using a damp washcloth on the counter, set a large bowl on top of cloth to keep bowl from moving around. Place a grater inside the bowl (I use a rubber topped grater with rubber feet for safety). Have your child grate the zest of 2 lemons using the medium holes of the grater. Explain to them that you only want the yellow skin. Have them grate 4 or 5 strokes and turn the lemon. (No matter how careful they will be, some of the pith will get into the bowl. This is not a big deal! It won't ruin the taste. Besides, all you will taste is the love!) Clean off all the zest into the bowl and remove the grater. Next, take a garlic press and have your child press the garlic cloves into the bowl. There is no need to remove the skin from the garlic.
• Place the bunch of parsley on a cutting board. Using a mezzaluna or crescent knife with handles, help your child roughly chop the parsley. Gather the parsley up in a pile and turn the cutting board so they can continue chopping until it's finely chopped. Place the chopped parsley into the bowl. Add the room temperature butter. Mix well and set aside. If making gremolata butter ahead of time, refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Serve chicken and vegetables with a spoonful of gremolata butter on top.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly

CALIFORNIA SEA BASS WITH SHELL BEAN RISOTTO AND GREMOLATA BUTTER

Steps:

• Season the fish with the thyme, half the lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
• To make the gremolata butter, mince the remaining lemon zest and combine with the minced garlic and remaining 6 tablespoons chopped parsley on a cutting board. Chop the mixture together until very fine. Scrape the gremolata into a small bowl and mash together with 6 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Season with a heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt and some pepper.
• Heat a large sauté pan over high heat for 2 minutes. (Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to cook the fish in batches.) Season the fish with salt and pepper on both sides. Swirl in the olive oil and wait 1 minute. Carefully lay the fish in the pan, skin side down, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until the skin is crisp. Turn the fish over, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook a few more minutes, until it's almost cooked through. When it's done, the fish will begin to flake and separate a little and the center will still be slightly translucent. Remember, the fish will continue to cook a little more once you take it out of the pan.
• Spoon the hot risotto onto a large platter. Arrange the fish on top, and smear each fillet with some of the gremolata butter. Squeeze lemon juice over the fish and risotto, and scatter the whole parsley leaves on top.
• Bring the chicken stock and 3 1/2 cups water to a boil over high heat. Then turn off the heat.
• Heat a medium pot over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Swirl in 3 tablespoons butter, and when it foams, add the onion, thyme, chile, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few grindings of black pepper. Sauté about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is translucent. Stir in the rice, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and a pinch of pepper. Cook 2 minutes, stirring continuously, until the rice just begins to toast and the grains of rice have a white dot at their center.
• Pour in the white wine, and once it has evaporated, quickly add 1 cup of the hot stock, stirring continuously. When the stock is completely absorbed, begin adding the liquid in 1-cup batches, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon in a rhythmic back-and-forth motion. Wait for each batch of liquid to be absorbed before adding the next. The rice should be bubbling and quickly absorbing the stock. After about 15 minutes, taste the rice for doneness. It should be slightly but not too al dente. The risotto may need more liquid and more time, so keep cooking until it's done. It should be neither soupy nor dry; each grain of rice should be coated in a flavorful, starchy "sauce."
• When the rice is almost done, turn off the heat and stir in the shell beans. Let the risotto "rest" for a minute or two and then quickly stir in the remaining tablespoon butter, the spinach, parsley, and basil. Taste for seasoning. The rice will keep absorbing liquid so add a little more stock if it seems dry.
• Season the fish with the lemon zest and herbs in the morning. You can cook the shell beans ahead of time, but the risotto must be cooked "to order." To time this well, start cooking the fish when the risotto is just about done. (The risotto can "rest" for a moment while you pull everything together.)

GREMOLATA BUTTER

Steps:

• Soften the butter at room temperature, or microwave for about 10 seconds. With a flexible spatula, mix in the flavor ingredients. Use the spatula to form the butter into a log on a piece of aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or waxed paper. Wrap the log and close tightly. Refrigerate or freeze.
• For the best flavor protection, place the wrapped butter log in a labeled and dated plastic storage bag. Well-wrapped Flavored Butters will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks and in the freezer for 6 months. To use frozen butter, unwrap and slice off as much as you need. It may crumble if cut immediately out of the freezer, but it will slice cleanly after a few minutes at room temperature.

GREMOLATA BUTTER

Steps:

• In bowl, mix butter, lemon zest and juice, parsley and garlic; season. Spoon onto parchment, and roll into log (can refrigerate up to 2 days). Serve with fish, steak or green beans.