Compound Butter

By vealam

Ingredients

• chili lime:
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• zest of one small lime
• 3/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• tarragon shallot
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons shallot, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• honey habanero:
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1-2 habanero peppers, seeds and ribs removed, minced
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• indian spice:
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• old bay (or chesapeake bay):
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• garlic chive:
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon chives, minced
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Details

Servings 1
Adapted from ohmyveggies.com

Preparation

Step 1

soften the butter
For compound butter, you need to start with a softened butter. For each flavor, I use one stick of unsalted butter. To soften, you can place it on the counter overnight or pull it out of the fridge an hour or two before you want to make your compound butter. I also have a “soften” button for butter on my microwave that I use in a pinch. Just be sure not to melt the butter.

choose the flavors
You can add just about any type of spice or herb to your compound butter. Raid your pantry for your favorite seasonings and dried spices. This is also a good way to use up some of the fresh herbs from your garden. Just be sure to chop any fresh ingredients (garlic, shallot, herbs) very small so that they mix nicely into the butter. Think about the flavor pairings that you like and give it a try. The possibilities are endless. By starting with unsalted butter, you can control the amount of salt in your final butter. I add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt per stick, but feel free to adjust that up or down according to your tastes.

mix it up
There are a few ways you can mix your compound butter. You can simply mash it up with a fork (my preferred method) or pop it into the food processor and give it a whirl. When making more than one flavor at a time, I find it annoying to have to clean my food processor in between flavors, so that is why I typically go with fork mixing. But go with your gut on this one.

chill
You can definitely serve the compound butter soft and spreadable after it’s freshly made. However, I prefer to form it into logs with plastic wrap and pop it into the refrigerator. Just spread a piece of plastic wrap out and scoop the softened butter mixture on top. Use the edges of the plastic wrap to fold over the butter and then use your hands to form it into a skinny log. Twist the ends and chill until firm. The butters will last for 5 days in the fridge or up to about 6 months in the freezer. To freeze, slice the log into small discs and place them into a freezer bag. Be sure to label the bag with the flavor of the compound butter and the date for future reference. Frozen compound butter can be used straight out of the freezer. Just pop it onto some hot corn and it will melt beautifully.