Foray into compound butters

[PolishedTopaz]

I am on a kick with compound butters so lend an hand and tell me yours. So far I am coming up with;


Dill, lemon, shallot and pepper...for fish.
Parmesan, roasted garlic and parsley...chicken or beef.
Horseradish, shallots and parsley...steak.
Lemon, garlic, shallots and oregano...chicken.
Gorganzola, garlic and parsley... beef.
Cilantro, lime, shallots and garlic...chicken.

Any ideas?

 

[marmalady]

Add some tequila and chipotle to that 'cilantro/lime' one, PT!

Tarragon, white wine, shallot - for 'bearnaise butter'.

 

[PolishedTopaz]

I just had salmon with the dill one, I ate it with just that, except it needed salt, but DANG it was good!!! DH doesn't eat salmon [his loss IMOHO] all I would have added was a squeeze of fresh lemon. Which I didn't, I wanted the 'pure' expression of the dish. GOOD STUFF! Ask for the 'compounds' if you would like to try it.

 

[PolishedTopaz]

Marm....

How does the tequila meld with the butter?? Seems to me to be an 'oil and water' thing. Chipoles tho............hmmm getting me thinkin..............

 

[marmalady]

I always use at least a little white wine or vermouth to my butters - just a tablespoon or two to 1 stick of butter, and mix it all up in the processor - don't put the green herbs in tho, or you'll end up with green butter - as I found out one night 1 hour before dinner at a catering gig! But shalots, the chipotles, all those ingredients can certainly be blended in the processor. Anyway, lol - to answer your question, yes, the liquor will blend with the butter!

Another tip - do you know about freezing your compounds? Just take a piece of waxed paper or parchment, put the butter on it, roll it into a cylinder - like you'd do for refrigerator cookies - wrap it in saran, and pop it in a ziplock. You can just take it out and cut slices whenever you need it!

Oh - and I always salt my compounds - my French chef taught me that - says it helps preserve the flavors in the compounds.

Aren't they fun to do?!

 

[buckytom]

just got this one out of the food section of the paper. can't wait to try it...

avocado butter

1 large ripe california avocad, or 2 hess avocados
2 tbsps fresh lime juice
1 lb sweet butter
1/4 tsp ground ginger
unsalted almonds, filberts , or walnuts chopped

seed and peel avocado(s). put in blender or food processor, add lime juice. add butter by the tablespoonful. add ginger. process until smooth. form into a ball, and roll in chopped nuts.

 

[marmalady]

OMG Bucky - that looks awesome! Wonder if the avocado 'turns' like it usually does? Let us know when you make it - please?

 

[mudbug]

Cilantro, lime, shallots and garlic...chicken.
Any ideas?

I'm thinkin this would be good on fish

 

[middie]

brown sugar cinnamon and nutmeg for dessersts?

 

[marmalady]

Middie - what a great idea! What would you put it on? Not a dessert, but I'm thinking baked sweet potatoes!

 

[middie]

sweet potatoes i think would be great. or on apple pie or in baked apples even in oatmeal

 

[luvs]

for mild fish... cod, tilapia, flounder, etc,...
softened butter, ground sage, garlic paste, and parsley.

 

[subfuscpersona]

brown sugar cinnamon and nutmeg for dessersts?

Middie - what a great idea! What would you put it on? Not a dessert, but I'm thinking baked sweet potatoes!

When I was a kid, a breakfast treat was toast with lots of butter sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar so - toast - biscuits - rolls? maybe even french toast or pancakes?

 

[buckytom]

OMG Bucky - that looks awesome! Wonder if the avocado 'turns' like it usually does? Let us know when you make it - please?

will do marmalady. i'm hoping that's what the lime juice is for...

 

[marmalady]

TY!