HERBED COMPOUND BUTTER

Herbed Compound Butter image

A compound butter - a stick of butter seasoned with herbs, lemon and garlic or shallots - is one of the most versatile things to keep on hand. You can store it in the freezer, then slice it whenever you want to add herby richness to a dish. Use it on steak, fish, chicken or even mashed or roasted sweet potatoes. And feel free to vary the herbs to suit your taste. For a kick, a pinch or two of chile powder or a drizzle of hot sauce would do the trick. This recipe is part of The New Essentials of French Cooking, a guide to definitive dishes every modern cook should master. Buy the book.

Provided by Melissa Clark

Time 10m

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 7

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon minced shallots or 1 garlic clove, grated on a Microplane or minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or rosemary
1 tablespoon minced parsley or chives
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, more to taste

Steps:

In a bowl, mash together butter, shallots or garlic, herbs, lemon juice, pepper and salt.
Spoon the butter onto a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap, form into a log and wrap well. Chill for at least 3 hours before using.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 104, UnsaturatedFat 3 grams, Carbohydrate 1 gram, Fat 12 grams, Fiber 0 grams, Protein 0 grams, SaturatedFat 7 grams, Sodium 41 milligrams, Sugar 0 grams, TransFat 0 grams