Best Olive Butter Recipes

BAGNA CAUDA ( OLIVE OIL, GARLIC, BUTTER AND ANCHOVY SAUCE)

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in an oven casserole, cover and bake at 275F for 1 1/2 hours.
• Serve with bread and/or vegetables.

MARK BITTMAN'S ROAST CHICKEN PARTS WITH BUTTER OR OLIVE OIL (PLU

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Put the oil or butter in a roasting pan and put the pan in the oven for a couple of minutes, until the oil is hot or the butter melts. Add the chicken and turn it couple of times in the fat, leaving it skin side up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and return the pan to the oven.
• After the chicken has cooked for 15 minutes, toss about 1/4 of the herb or herb mixture over it and turn the pieces. Sprinkle on another quarter of the herb and roast for another 10 minutes.
• Turn the chicken over (now skin side up again), add another quarter of the herb, and cook until the chicken is done (you'll see clear juices if you make a small cut in the meat near the bone) a total of 30-40 minutes at most. Garnish with the remaining herb and skim excess fat from the pan juices if necessary; serve, with some of the juices spooned over it.
• Variations:
• Add several cloves of garlic (20 wouldn't be too many).
• Add a cup or so of chopped onion, shallot, or leek.
• Add a cup or so of sliced fresh mushrooms, after the first 15 minutes of roasting.
• Add 2-3 lemons (oranges and limes are good, too). When the chicken is done, squeeze the hot lemon juice over it.
• Use Compound Butter, Flavored Oil, or a Vinaigrette from the beginning of the cooking or as a basting sauce during the cooking.
• Stir in a dollop of grainy French-style mustard when the chicken is done.
• Add a couple handfuls of cherry tomatoes and some black olives after turning the chicken skin side up again.
• Stir in a cup of any salsa in the last 10 minutes of cooking or spoon on top of the cooked chicken before serving.

STEAMED ASPARAGUS WITH OLIVE BUTTER

Steps:

• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add asparagus cover, and steam until desired tenderness is achieved, 6 to 9 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in olives and lemon juice; heat thoroughly, but do not boil, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Place steamed asparagus in a serving dish and pour sauce on top. Garnish with lemon zest and serve warm.

FISH WITH SIZZLING OLIVE BUTTER

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a large, oven-safe skillet over medium. Add butter and oil, and cook until butter melts and starts to sizzle, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in olives, garlic and fennel or coriander, and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Season fish fillets with salt and pepper, then nestle them in one layer in the skillet. Carefully spoon some of the butter mixture over the fish, basting the fillets, then transfer pan to the oven.
• Bake until fish is opaque and flaky, 8 to 13 minutes, basting halfway through. Remove from oven and transfer fillets to serving plates.
• Squeeze a wedge or two of lime into the butter mixture and spoon sauce over fish. Top with black pepper, cilantro and dill, with extra lime wedges on the side for squeezing.

ASPARAGUS WITH OLIVE AND ORANGE BUTTER

Steps:

• Cut asparagus into 2-inch-long pieces and cook in a wide 4-quart pot of boiling salted water , uncovered, until just crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain in a colander.
• Melt butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat, then whisk in juice and olive paste (to taste) until blended. Add asparagus and salt and pepper to taste, tossing to coat.

GRILLED SEA BASS WITH CITRUS-OLIVE BUTTER

Steps:

• In small bowl, mix Citrus-Olive Butter ingredients. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until firm.
• Heat gas or charcoal grill. Brush all surfaces of fish fillet with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Place fish on grill over medium heat. Cover grill; cook 10 to 13 minutes, turning fish after 5 minutes, until fish flakes easily with fork. Serve with Citrus-Olive Butter.

OLIVE OIL BUTTER TABLE SPREAD

Steps:

• Beat butter in mixer until soft.
• Gradually add the olive oil and milk.
• When it is completely blended, pour into containers, cover and store in fridge.
• It will harden as it cools. (Use as you would normally use butter).

RADISH CANAPES WITH BLACK-OLIVE BUTTER

Steps:

• Mix olives, scallions, mint, and butter in a bowl. Season with pepper. Spread olive butter onto each baguette slice. Thinly slice radishes. Layer 2 or 3 slices on top of each canape.

GARLIC AND OLIVE BUTTER

Steps:

• Place the garlic in a food processor and process until chopped. Add the softened butter and process until smooth. Add the olives to the food processor and pulse them into the mixture until they are just barely combined. Roll garlic olive butter into logs using double layers of plastic food wrap. Store butter logs in the freezer. Cut off discs to top grilled chicken or broiled fish.
• For Garlic Olive Bread: Soften 1/4 pound of butter to make 1 loaf of garlic olive bread. Toast a split loaf of bread under hot broiler. Spread with softened garlic olive butter on each half of bread. Sprinkle bread with a little grated cheese and return bread to broiler to melt butter and cheese. Slice and serve.

BLOODY MARY STEAKS WITH GREEN OLIVE BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium heat.
• Brush steaks on both sides with olive oil, then sprinkle with a mix of cracked pepper and celery seed. Cook steaks to desired doneness on the preheated grill. When done, allow steaks to rest on a plate while continuing with the recipe.
• Bring the Bloody Mary mix, orange juice concentrate, and vodka to a boil over high heat; then reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 5 minutes. While sauce is cooking, puree the olives, butter, and garlic in a small food processor until almost smooth.
• To serve, pour a pool of the sauce in the center of each plate. Slice each steak into 4 or 5 slices, and fan out over the sauce. Add a dollop of olive butter, and spoon a little more sauce overtop.

ROASTED SALMON AND OLIVE-MUSTARD BUTTER AND ORZO

Steps:

• Mix first 5 ingredients in processor until well blended but still slightly chunky, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Season butter mixture to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to small bowl. (Olive-mustard butter can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Soften slightly at room temperature before using.)
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush large rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Arrange salmon fillets on prepared sheet; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast salmon just until opaque in center, about 14 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook orzo in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain; return orzo to same pot. Add half of olive-mustard butter and toss to coat. Divide orzo among 8 plates. Top each serving with 1 salmon fillet. Place small dollop of olive-mustard butter atop each salmon fillet. Garnish with whole olives and parsley sprigs, if desired, and serve.

BLACK OLIVE BUTTER SPREAD

Steps:

• 1. Place ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well blended.
• 2. Wrap butter in plastic wrap and store in freezer until hard.
• 3. Cut into 1/2 inch slices. Rewrap remaining butter in plastic wrap and store in refrigerator or freezer.

KALAMATA OLIVE AND GARLIC BUTTER

Steps:

• In a medium-size bowl, whip 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature) until fluffy.
• Combine the softened butter and other ingredients together until they are completely blended.
• For the flavor to better penetrate the butter, allow it to stand at cool room temperature for a few hours before refrigerating.
• Compound butters may be stored in freezer, tightly wrapped. Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water for cutting the frozen butter.

FUNKY PBO-OF SANDWICH (PEANUT BUTTER AND OLIVE)

Steps:

• Spread peanut butter on the bread.
• Place sliced olives evenly across peanut butter.
• Devour.

SOFTENED BUTTER WITH OLIVE OIL

Steps:

• 1. Soften 3 sticks of butter. Unwrap and place in food processor with blade in place. Pulse until mixed.
• 2. Pour in 1/2 cup olive oil into butter, and blend until well mixed.
• 3. Pour into container. Refrigerate. It will be almost liquid form until it has a chance to refrigerate.
• 4. If desired, stir in honey to make honey butter, fruit spreads to make fruit butter, garlic or spices to make flavored butters.

GRILLED PEASANT BREAD WITH OLIVE BUTTER

Steps:

• Make butter: In a bowl combine all ingredients.
• Cut bread into 1/2 to 1-inch thick slices. Brush both sides of bread with oil, season with salt and pepper and transfer to a heated grill. Grill each side of the bread for 1 to 2 minutes, or until lightly toasted and grill marked. Rub bread with the garlic clove. While bread is still hot spread with some of the butter. Transfer to a serving dish.

CRUDITES WITH OLIVE BUTTER

Steps:

• Mix 1 tablespoon minced kalamata olives and 1 stick softened butter in a small bowl; sprinkle with sea salt. Serve with sugar snap peas, baby carrots and halved radishes for dipping.

OLIVE "BUTTER"

Steps:

• 1. Drain the olives, reserving a small amount of brine for later use if needed. Place the drained olives and cream cheese in a blender, or food processor and combine until smooth. Add some of the reserved brine if mixture is not of spreadable consistency. Store in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to 2 weeks. This is a great spread for crackers, or bagels!

BUTTER-FRIED ASPARAGUS WITH BLACK OLIVE & LEMON MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• First, make the mayonnaise. In a food processor, add the whole olives, egg yolks, vinegar, mustard and anchovy, and blend until you have a smooth paste. Slowly add the oil until it becomes thick and glossy. To finish, stir through the chopped olives, lemon juice and cayenne pepper.
• Next, in a pan over a low heat, warm the clarified butter until it melts. Put the flour, beaten eggs and brioche crumbs into three separate bowls. Dip the asparagus stem into the flour, leaving the tip uncovered, then dip it into the beaten egg and finally into the brioche crumbs. Repeat for each spear.
• Turn up the heat until the melted butter is hot. Add four spears of asparagus and fry for 1 min or so - it will cook quickly. Use a slotted spoon to lift them onto a plate lined with kitchen paper. Repeat with the remaining spears. After each batch comes out of the butter, grate over the Parmesan. Serve with the mayo.

GRILLED CORN WITH OLIVE BUTTER

Steps:

• For the olive butter: Combine the butter, basil, olives, lemon zest, shallot, and salt to taste in a bowl.
• For the corn: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then salt liberally. Cook the corn for 30 seconds, then remove and pat dry.
• Preheat a grill pan on high heat (see Cook's Note). Brush the corn with the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook the corn in the grill pan, turning to ensure uniform charring, for about 6 minutes.
• Transfer the corn to a platter and spread the olive butter evenly and liberally on each piece. Garnish with basil leaves.