Compound Butter

What is compound butter?

Compound butter is just butter that’s been mixed together with other ingredients, like herbs and spices. Mix it up, keep it in the fridge or freezer, and slice as you need or keep it in a bowl. My all time favorite is roasted garlic butter and the smoked paprika. Anytime I roast garlic heads in the oven, I always save some cloves to make a compound butter to use later. If you are making it to use sooner than later, just let it sit in the fridge for a few hours for the flavors to infuse.

Compound butters are very easy to make and can have any number of flavors blended into them. Savory or sweet...use any combination you like. I prefer using it on broiled or grilled fish, steak, corn on the cob or bread and dinner rolls. I also like to place discs of compound butter under the skin of a roasting chicken or chicken breats. Infusing these flavors into the butter makes a world of difference other than adding the spices separately.

Sweet compound butters are wonderful for toast, waffles, rolls or biscuits. Do this by using honey, cinnamon, etc.

Maître d'Hôtel Butter is the most common form of what is called a "compound butter," which simply means that there is some sort of flavoring or seasoning ingredient added to the butter. That would be the fancy name you hear of in restaurants.

It's fairly simple to prepare and choose your own seasonings. I made a smoked paprika compound and a parsley and garlic compound this past week. I like the paprika butter on broiled tilapia when it comes out of the oven. And also for corn on the cob. I used the parsley and garlic compound for two roasted chickens. I placed sliced discs under the skin...yum.

Simply let a stick of butter (or more, depending on how much you want to make) soften to room temp. Then add your seasoning or herbs and blend together. Place the butter mixture back in the fridge to firm up. If you prefer to be able to slice your butter, shape it into a log on wax paper and roll it up. Below is a picture of the ones I made this week. I had made two sticks of each. The other two rolls went into the freezer. You can keep the compound butter in the fridge for about a month, three months in the freezer. Impress your family and friends in a simple and delicious way!




This website has great instructions and pictures:



http://www.thehungrymouse.com/2009/03/27/fresh-herb-compound-butter/

Wow, that's so easy, even eva can do it, and she won't be able to burn it either.

She won't even have to turn on the stove, Julie!

But you all know eva. It probably won't soften fast enough for her, so she will try putting it in a pot on the burner and turning it on high. Can you say "Fire?"

LOL, Mama.........yes, I see fire!

Mama, I can see that happening, LOL.