We recently learned that Paula Deen, the controversial Queen of Southern Cuisine (except on the Food Network), is bringing out a new line of flavoured ‘finishing’ butters. The idea is that you use a little to ‘finish’ dishes and add buttery flavour, rather than pile butter on all through cooking…
A classic Compound Butter atop a beautiful, sizzling Sirloin Strip Steak.
That’s supposed to help you cut down on your use of butter and be healthier. But it’s not a new idea. On the contrary, it’s an old, classic, French idea. And it’s easy to make your own! Let’s get you started thinking about Compound Butters…
Let’s start off simple…
Do you like that little pat of herbed butter you get on top of your premium steak at the best steak houses? Wouldn’t it go great on your home-grilled steaks and chops this summer? It’s formally known as Maitre D’ butter and here’s how to make your own.
Let a pound of Butter warm gently to room temperature. It must be just soft enough to spread, not runny, much less separated into its component butter oil and milk solids.
Place the butter into a mixing bowl and add 2-3 tablespoons of fresh chopped Parsley,a good pinch of fresh cracked Black Pepper, and a dash of Lemon Juice. Use a fork to incorporate the Parsley and Lemon Juice completely into the Butter. Place the butter on a sheet of plastic wrap or aluminum foil and roll up into a tight sausage-shaped roll of the diameter you wish your Butter medallions to have. Refrigerate for a few hours to firm the butter back up again before slicing into rounds.
Go fishin’…
Try making a Compound Butter for baked, pan fried or or grilled fish or seafood. Using the same technique described above, but use chopped Dill Frond finely diced Shallots and Lemon Juice rather than the Parsley and Pepper.
Vegetate…
For use on boiled, steamed or roasted veggies, try a Compound Butter with Thyme and Rosemary.
For Potatoes…
Try something special: Make a Compound Butter using a Little Lemon Juice, a pinch of White Pepper, 2-3 tablespoons of chopped Fresh Chives and a good pinch of fresh-ground Nutmeg.
Now it’s your turn…
Try out some of the thousands of Compound Butter recipes you’ll find online. See what other Compound Butters you can come up with! And don’t be shy about sharing your recipes with us!
~ Maggie J.