NEW YORK CITY, NY – What exactly is compound butter? Quite simply, it’s a mixture of butter and supplementary ingredients to impart unique flavors, and it’s something you can create at home to put your own unique spin on recipes. And, as we’re all doing a bit more cooking at home these days, refreshing your family’s favorite recipes with a buttery French twist or a sweet touch can bring an exciting upgrade to your tried and true meals. Below are five ideas to get you started.
Compound Butter Preparation
For each of the flavorful suggestions below, simply take your favorite Butter of Europe and let it soften to room temperature over a few hours. Once softened, blend with the ingredients of your choice in a bowl. Add to taste, but remember butter is often used sparingly, so don’t be afraid to incorporate a fair amount. Once thoroughly blended, place your new compound butter in a mold or on a piece of wax paper to be rolled, then chill until ready to serve. It’s that easy!
Maître d’Hôtel Butter – The French Touch
If you’re in need of an introduction to compound butters, look no further. This classic French recipe can be used on everything from finishing off baked fish or an oven roasted chicken to simply adding a zippy twist to a parker house roll. If you want the full French experience, let it melt over a seared steak. Just add finely minced parsley, lemon juice, salt and pepper to the softened butter, and voilà!
Garlic Chive Butter – The Crowd Pleaser
There are few combinations more popular than butter and garlic. The list of foods that both garlic and butter belong on is seemingly endless, which is why this creation belongs in your refrigerator. We recommend adding a touch of chive, to impart some green herbal character. It’s just the thing to add a layer of complexity to a classic combo. Place directly on a grilled steak or drop a pat or two into a stillsteaming baked potato.
Jalapeno Lime Butter – Citrus, Spice, and Everything Nice
This one’s made for summer, though we wouldn’t fault you for using it year-round. Additionally, it can be dialed up or down to taste. Prefer a tad more citrus? Swap in a lemon for a touch more mouth puckering flavor. Want to turn the heat up a bit? Experiment with other peppers that climb the Scoville scale like Habanero. Brush this over grilled or boiled corn on the cob or grilled shrimp for a bright and delightful flavor addition.
Gorgonzola Honey Butter – Sweet, Savory, Scrumptious
There’s a reason cheese plates are often presented with a bit of honey. The salty, creamy texture of blue cheese pairs so well with the floral sweetness of honey. This compound brings those two together, encasing them in butter for an extra dose of deliciousness. Try this melted on a pork loin or chop or tossed with your favorite pasta.
Vanilla Maple Butter – Savory, Make Room For Sweet
Of course, we couldn’t leave out a butter for the sweeter side of things. We’re talking about pancakes, muffins, sweet potatoes, cornbread, even a simple piece of toast. All of these are made that much better when you top them with butter includes maple and vanilla sweetness. Start with a touch of your favorite maple syrup. Next, we’d recommend fresh vanilla beans for not only its purity of flavor, but also for the flecks of vanilla bean that cue the eyes that something special is about to be enjoyed.
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About Butter of Europe
The Butter of Europe Marketing Campaign, orchestrated by CNIEL (The French Dairy Inter-Branch Organization) and co-funded by the European Union, was designed to create awareness for the variety of European butters available in the US market and to suggest ways that American consumers can incorporate butter into their diets, recipes and lifestyles. The campaign’s goal is to increase the appeal of European butter and strengthen their competitive position within the growing specialty butter category.
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The content of this advertisement represents the author’s point of view only and is the sole responsibility of the author. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.
