3 Compound Herb Butters you will love!
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
3 Delicious Artisan Compound Butters made from Fresh Garden Herbs
Author: Kelly
Recipe type: Condiment
Serves: Makes 3 blocks of artisan butter
Ingredients
- Lemon, Rosemary-Oregano & Sea Salt Butter
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 + ½ Tbsp finely chopped rosemary
- ½ Tbsp finely chopped oregano
- ½ tsp lemon zest or to taste
- ¾ tsp sea salt of choice
- Cilantro, Lime & Chile Salt Butter
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
- ½ tsp lime zest or to taste
- For the Chile Salt: ¾ tsp coarse salt of choice, pinch of chile of choice* I used ancho
- Basil, Black Pepper & Garlic Butter
- ½ cup salted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped basil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp coarse black pepper
Instructions
- The instruction method is the same for each recipe.
- In a suitably sized bowl, place butter and add all ingredients mixing well to incorporate.
- At this stage it is sometimes helpful, if the butter is too soft, to return the mixed compound to the fridge to harden somewhat before trying to roll it (see Notes section below).
- Once the butter has achieved the right temperature, transfer contents onto a piece of parchment paper (about 10" x 10") and roughly shape into a log form (don't worry about the shape too much - it might just look like an awkward heap but it should roll out well regardless provided the butter is room temperature). There are a number of web based videos (youtube, etc) that illustrate how to roll compound butter if you would like a visual queue - some like rolling in plastic wrap, I prefer parchment.
- Beginning at one end, roll the paper around the butter until you reach the other end - roll the wrapped butter back and forth to smooth and shape and then seal the ends by twisting - once you twist you will see how compact and shaped it becomes - magic!
- Chill the butter in the refrigerator until firm, at least one hour.
- These compound butters will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks and in the freezer for a couple of months.
Notes
The Butter I used a quality organic butter for these compounds. If you wish to add your own variety of salt (or create a spiced salt such as the chile-salt), be sure to purchase unsalted butter as the base.
The Temperature of the Butter You want the butter to be soft enough to mix with the ingredients but not too soft that it's impossible to roll. The ideal is room temperature. If your butter is too soft to hold any shape at all, place it back in the fridge until it achieves room temperature.
Amount of Butter I used ½ cup increments of butter in these recipes as my base but you could easily double, triple or quadruple the batch (just remember to increase other ingredients accordingly).
The Chile there are many different kinds of chile you can use for the chile-salt; it really just depends on the type of flavor impact you are looking for. Ground chile peppers such as cayenne and habanero are amongst the hottest varieties so you will want to use these chile powders carefully and in small pinches (1/8 tsp) particularly if you are new to them. Ancho chile is beautifully complex and warm (but not as hot as cayenne/habanero). Paprika and chipotle (smoke-dried jalapeno) are other favorites. The more generic ‘chili powder’ that you find in the grocery store is really a mixture of milder chile peppers with the addition of herbs/spices such as onion/garlic powder and salt and may be more suitable for youngsters and those who don't tolerate or enjoy heat.
The Raw Additions If raw garlic is not your thing, you can sauté or roast the garlic instead (same goes with onion, etc).
Herb Health - A promising study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry last year showed that both rosemary and oregano contain compounds that may assist in inhibiting type 2 Diabetes - research is ongoing.
The Temperature of the Butter You want the butter to be soft enough to mix with the ingredients but not too soft that it's impossible to roll. The ideal is room temperature. If your butter is too soft to hold any shape at all, place it back in the fridge until it achieves room temperature.
Amount of Butter I used ½ cup increments of butter in these recipes as my base but you could easily double, triple or quadruple the batch (just remember to increase other ingredients accordingly).
The Chile there are many different kinds of chile you can use for the chile-salt; it really just depends on the type of flavor impact you are looking for. Ground chile peppers such as cayenne and habanero are amongst the hottest varieties so you will want to use these chile powders carefully and in small pinches (1/8 tsp) particularly if you are new to them. Ancho chile is beautifully complex and warm (but not as hot as cayenne/habanero). Paprika and chipotle (smoke-dried jalapeno) are other favorites. The more generic ‘chili powder’ that you find in the grocery store is really a mixture of milder chile peppers with the addition of herbs/spices such as onion/garlic powder and salt and may be more suitable for youngsters and those who don't tolerate or enjoy heat.
The Raw Additions If raw garlic is not your thing, you can sauté or roast the garlic instead (same goes with onion, etc).
Herb Health - A promising study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry last year showed that both rosemary and oregano contain compounds that may assist in inhibiting type 2 Diabetes - research is ongoing.
Recipe by Inspired Edibles at https://www.inspirededibles.ca/2015/06/3-artisan-herb-butters-you-will-love.html