With These Three Different Ways To Create Summery Compound Butters, You Can Make Your Seasonal Gatherings Sweet, Savory, Or Spicy
I know I am not the only one who loves herself some butter. I realize it may sound weird, but butter is one of the best ingredients, or in some cases, condiments, in the food world.
It can instantly make a dish tastier, richer, creamier – you name it! It’s a loved ingredient by so many foodies.
If you are a butter enthusiast like myself, you should know how to make compound butter.
You create compound butter by combining softened butter with your choice of flavor elements to make it sweet, savory, or even spicy.
For instance, if you’ve ever been served something with “herb butter,” that’s a compound butter, as it is butter mixed with herbs.
One of the best occasions for serving compound butter is summer parties like barbecues or outdoor dinner parties, as they often pair perfectly with the popular foods served at those events.
If you’re ready to expand your butter-loving taste buds and make some summer-esque compound butters, here are three ideas for you.
First, to make compound butter, you’ll want to begin with half a pound of your favorite butter and let it come to room temperature. Treat yourself to high-quality butter for a wonderful flavor experience if you can.
The butter has to be at room temperature so you can easily stir your additional ingredients into it, but no worries, you can put it back in the fridge to harden it once you’re done.
baibaz – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
Compound Butter #1: Garlic herb butter with lemon zest
This butter goes great with all sorts of different meats and vegetables, making it perfect for a dinner party.
Add your softened butter to a mixing bowl and one teaspoon each of freshly chopped thyme, parsley, and rosemary. You’ll also want to add one finely minced garlic clove, a half teaspoon of lemon zest, and a teaspoon of fine salt.
Using a baking spatula, gently fold the herbs, garlic, and zest into your butter until evenly combined.
You can stop there to have a yummy softened butter, or spread the butter out onto a large piece of parchment paper and fold it until you form a butter mound to your liking, and stick it in the fridge for a few hours until it’s hardened and ready to serve.
Compound Butter #2: Peach Butter
Peaches are currently in season in North America and have one of the best summer fruit flavors out there. This butter will help you make the most of peach season and is great for any sweet treats that need extra flare, like biscuits or banana bread.
Add your softened butter to a mixing bowl with 1/4 cup of finely diced, fresh, ripe peaches. You can keep the skin on or off, depending on your liking. Add a pinch of salt, a tablespoon of light brown sugar, and a teaspoon of fresh orange juice and orange zest.
Gently fold in your ingredients using a spoon or baking spatula, and like the previous butter, serve it softened right away or form it into a butter mound and let it harden in the fridge.
Compound butter #3: Marry Me Chicken Butter
This butter recipe is a bit different from the rest, as it’s based on a popular dish, ‘Marry Me Chicken.’ It’s a savory chicken dish with flavors that can and should be used on more than just chicken. This butter can be served on vegetables, fish, legumes, etc.
Like always, add your softened butter to a mixing bowl and get ready to combine it with a bunch of ingredients, including three finely minced clothes of garlic, a mashed anchovy fillet, a half teaspoon of red pepper flakes, a half teaspoon of honey, and a half teaspoon of tomato paste.
I’m sure many of you freaked out when you read about the anchovy, so if you’re opposed to its naturally delicious umami flavor, you can substitute it for a half teaspoon of fish sauce.
Again, gently fold in your ingredients using a spoon or baking spatula, and like the previous butter, serve it immediately while softened or form it into a butter mound and let it harden in the fridge. You’ll want to keep this butter in the fridge whenever you’re not using it.
When kept in the fridge, most compound butters should be consumed within a week, but if you need more time, they’ll usually last several months in the freezer. Try these out and enjoy the buttery goodness!
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