Just like everyone out there, my family gets busy too. A deadline looms, we over schedule ourselves, one of us has something “pop up”, and boom, just like that, we are over extended and it is hard to get a nice dinner on the table. Takeout is nice, but when we have it to often, I don’t feel as good, nor does my waistline or my pocketbook. To circumvent this inevitability, we prep a bit. We wash and prep veggies, maybe make a soup
(I try to freeze some if the recipe allows to reheat at a later time). Or maybe whirl up a little magic something that will zazz up something later, something like…
Have I mentioned that I love butter? Well, it’s true, I loooove butter! You cannot beat the wonders just a pat of the good stuff will do to finish a pan sauce, glaze a veg, or even for you health trenders out there, add to your morning Joe. It is a pretty simple matter to whir up a batch of your own compound butter and use it to jazz up the week’s meals. A compound butter simply butter blended with different ingredients and can be used in many ways.
Sauté a bunch of veggies and finish with a tablespoon of compound butter, super yum! A spoonful of this goodness can elevate a simple grilled meat or vegetable dish. A pat on a warm steak or fish melts and becomes a special sauce. Smear over crusty bread or stir into a sauce. These are so easy to whip up a batch in minutes, keep in the fridge and then melt a bit over anything that needs a little something–something. Whip some up and use with abandon!
Recipes
When making your butter, taste it and tweak ingredients to your taste. You know what you like! If you like, roll the butter into a log wrapped in saran wrap before refrigeration for easier slicing. Butters will keep in refrigerator for a week. Or you can keep in the freezer for a month. I have vegan friends who have altered these recipes to use vegan butter substitutes, such as Earth’s Balance, to good effect.Margarita Butter
My absolute favorite summer produce, like corn, zucchini, beans, or halibut. Smear a little on grilled chicken while it rests and sprinkle with thinly sliced summer radishes. Summertime and the living is easy…- 1 stick of butter, softened
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ smoked salt (or kosher)
- The finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
- 1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro (optional)
Miso Butter
This just brings a pop of Asian umami on everything you slather it on. Finish corn, a pan of green beans, or broccoli. Dollop on a steak as it rests from the grill. Yum.- 1 stick of butter, softened
- 4 tbsp shiro (white) miso paste
- 1-2 tbsp Mirin wine
- 4 tbsp thinly sliced green onion
Honey Cumin Butter
This one sees regular rotation during the fall and winter. I love to glaze carrots, winter squash and sweet potatoes with a bit of this.- 1 stick of butter, softened
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsp honey
- ½ tsp salt
Wild Mushroom Butter
I first made this when we had not been to market and I needed a quick supper. I had everything in my pantry, dried mushrooms, garlic powder and truffle salt. We put it on angel hair pasta and a family favorite was born. This one is good for pasta, beef, asparagus, even mushrooms, and oh my sweet beating heart, a baked potato!- 1 stick of butter, softened
- 2 tbsp dried porcini mushrooms, ground to dust in a blender or food processor
- ½ tsp black truffle sea salt
- 2 cloves grated or pressed garlic, or ½ tsp garlic powder
You had me at “a pat of the good stuff.”