Here we are at the onset of summer. The season of warmth, abundance and discovery.
My husband and I marvel at the rate of growth and the pace of change as we walk our little garden together in the morning.
Sometimes we have to crouch down low, turn ourselves upside down on the ground or slide branches sideways to get a full view of the beauty around us. Each day holds a new wonder and we do whatever we can to put ourselves in the middle of it.
Whether you’re making your own discoveries in sunlit windows, on balconies, in yards or at your favorite farmers’ market, now is the ideal time to take advantage of nature’s bounty.
A few weeks ago, I shared my unexpected but happy little problem of fast growing herbs and these fragrant green bouquets I started making for neighbors to keep up with growth.
Well today, I’m sharing another way to use up these garden fresh beauties in the form of delicious and versatile compound butters — have you made them before? Truly one of the simplest and most satisfying condiments you will ever hand assemble.
Compound butter is simply butter that has additional ingredients mixed in to enhance flavor (and texture) — but the amazing thing is that the combinations are truly endless. So you can let your imagination run in all directions — savory, spicy, sour and/or sweet — depending on taste preference and what you intend to use the butter for. I came across a rosemary, shallot and red wine version a year or two ago that had my toes curling… I mean, could you imagine a more delicious bring-along for a summer picnic?
And aren’t they cute? We just love the shape and artisanal quality of them. (I think they would make a beautiful hostess gift bundled in simple parchment and hand tied on either end – you could add a tag identifying the type of butter and attach an herb or two to the outside. So fun).
While olive oil is the fat that is used most commonly in our home, there are some foods for which, in my view, there is simply no substitute for butter:
Am I right?
These recipes are entirely adaptable and not just in terms of herbs but other taste enhancers including the pungent allium family (onion, garlic, chive, leek, shallot) — the citrus family (lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit zest) and the full gamut of spices. So you can play around with different combinations and experiment with your favorites.
The artisan butters also freeze well so you can preserve them longer and minimize spoilage. Perfect for picnics, potlucks, garden parties and hostess gifts.
Our favorite? We sincerely liked all of these combinations (and enjoyed taste testing them on various foods) but if I had to pick one, it might be the dark horse ~ basil, black pepper and garlic.
Delish!
I hope you have fun with these – we certainly did. Be sure to read the Notes in the recipe card below for more information and best results.
- Lemon, Rosemary-Oregano & Sea Salt Butter
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 + ½ Tbsp finely chopped rosemary
- ½ Tbsp finely chopped oregano
- ½ tsp lemon zest or to taste
- ¾ tsp sea salt of choice
- Cilantro, Lime & Chile Salt Butter
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
- ½ tsp lime zest or to taste
- For the Chile Salt: ¾ tsp coarse salt of choice, pinch of chile of choice* I used ancho
- Basil, Black Pepper & Garlic Butter
- ½ cup salted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped basil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp coarse black pepper
- The instruction method is the same for each recipe.
- In a suitably sized bowl, place butter and add all ingredients mixing well to incorporate.
- At this stage it is sometimes helpful, if the butter is too soft, to return the mixed compound to the fridge to harden somewhat before trying to roll it (see Notes section below).
- Once the butter has achieved the right temperature, transfer contents onto a piece of parchment paper (about 10" x 10") and roughly shape into a log form (don't worry about the shape too much - it might just look like an awkward heap but it should roll out well regardless provided the butter is room temperature). There are a number of web based videos (youtube, etc) that illustrate how to roll compound butter if you would like a visual queue - some like rolling in plastic wrap, I prefer parchment.
- Beginning at one end, roll the paper around the butter until you reach the other end - roll the wrapped butter back and forth to smooth and shape and then seal the ends by twisting - once you twist you will see how compact and shaped it becomes - magic!
- Chill the butter in the refrigerator until firm, at least one hour.
- These compound butters will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks and in the freezer for a couple of months.
The Temperature of the Butter You want the butter to be soft enough to mix with the ingredients but not too soft that it's impossible to roll. The ideal is room temperature. If your butter is too soft to hold any shape at all, place it back in the fridge until it achieves room temperature.
Amount of Butter I used ½ cup increments of butter in these recipes as my base but you could easily double, triple or quadruple the batch (just remember to increase other ingredients accordingly).
The Chile there are many different kinds of chile you can use for the chile-salt; it really just depends on the type of flavor impact you are looking for. Ground chile peppers such as cayenne and habanero are amongst the hottest varieties so you will want to use these chile powders carefully and in small pinches (1/8 tsp) particularly if you are new to them. Ancho chile is beautifully complex and warm (but not as hot as cayenne/habanero). Paprika and chipotle (smoke-dried jalapeno) are other favorites. The more generic ‘chili powder’ that you find in the grocery store is really a mixture of milder chile peppers with the addition of herbs/spices such as onion/garlic powder and salt and may be more suitable for youngsters and those who don't tolerate or enjoy heat.
The Raw Additions If raw garlic is not your thing, you can sauté or roast the garlic instead (same goes with onion, etc).
Herb Health - A promising study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry last year showed that both rosemary and oregano contain compounds that may assist in inhibiting type 2 Diabetes - research is ongoing.
Your compound butters look sooo cute!! I had to show my mom them- she had a serious compound butter phase a couple years ago and maybe needs to have another one this summer ;-)
I think the rosemary one would be my favourite…but man does that black pepper, basil, garlic one sound great! These are so perfect for the local corn season. I’d love to get my hands on some raw butter to use in these. A little tricky in Canada sometimes….
Traci, that one star is making me giggle :p I hope you get to experiment with these lovely herb butters following your trip to the farm today. I cannot think of a better accompaniment for your sourdough bread…. mmmm :)
another great post kelly. i’ve been infusing water with herbs but you’ve inspired me to infuse butter, too. also, have you read mark bittman’s latest article about butter? it’s a good one: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/24/opinion/the-trans-fats-that-wont-leave.html
food manufacturing advert campaigns are exceptionally effective at penetrating the collective psyche and it’s very difficult to reverse the trend. With so many physicians/scientists having once backed the now debunked diet-heart hypothesis, it’s hard to blame consumers for the confusion. Luckily we have food journalists who enjoy blowing the whistle. I hope you get a chance to try these herb butters Suzanne! Have a beautiful week.
Love that comment coming from one on the keto diet
Perfect timing Kelly, with all the rain we’ve had my herb garden is going crazy too! I rarely indulge in compound butters but I really adore them. A small pat on top of a grilled steak is my favourite with corn on the cob a close second. Your garden looks marvellous, is California over the drought? We stopped hearing about it.
PS your brother is going to be hosting Canada Day celebrations with our local councillor in our hood, I’m going to try to get to meet him, he really is such a good sport with Rick Mercer and the This Hour Has 22 Minutes team on CBC!
that pat of butter on your grilled steak is now imprinted on my salivary glands :o) love!
most of California is still in “exceptional” drought conditions… :( I suppose it is not news anymore though. Time for me to do a little rain dance I think.
Happy Canada Day Eva! Enjoy the Festivities :)))
You have been reading my mind! I’ve been thinking about giving compound butters a try for a couple of weeks now and here you are with some fantastic combinations and great notes! From the three you presented here it would be hard to pick, but….if I had my choice, you know which one I would choose first. :) We don’t have any produce ready to pick yet, but I do have quite a few herbs, so I’m really excited to give this a try! The market had some fabulous white corn this week, so to slather it with a garlicky, spicy butter…YUM! Thanks Kelly!
I thought of both you and Sissi with these butters… I think you gals would have a blast! Yes, take advantage of those beautiful herbs while they are up, lush and fulsome. corn + butter = my bliss :) Have a great week MJ.
Thank you for your inspiration, Kelly. I’ve not made my own compound butters, but know I would absolutely love them. Organic butter with herbs grown from your own garden and spices from abroad, talk about bring flavors of the world together! Thank you for your tip on freezing too… opening up a package of freshness in the middle of winter is something I adore. All of your recipes sound fabulous, but I think the one I’d like to try first is the black pepper, basil and garlic. Slathered on a slice of sourdough? Glass of wine… picnic… ohhh I can see it now!! Wishing you a lovely weekend of new, garden discoveries. xx
I love compound butter, every time I go to a fancy Italian restaurant I secretly hope that they flavored they butter somehow :) and I am very disappointed when I am met with old salted butter, still good, but not even close to the delicious flavors you can achieve by mixing flavorful herbs in.
how nice of you to drop by Katalina – welcome to Inspired Edibles! You’re right… the high end restos often offer delighted infused butters…I remember one time enjoying a caramelized onion and brown butter – just the right hint of sweetness and full of flavor… oh.so.good. the great news is that they are so easy to duplicate at home!
I never knew what compound butter was but now I see! These herby versions sound fantastic and I love the idea to smear them on corn…mmm. :)
You also just reminded me that I need to water our patio garden. We have lots of cucumbers, herbs and tomatoes right now which is so exciting. My husband usually tends to it but he’s overseas for 2 weeks so hopefully I don’t kill everything!
I hope you’re having a great summer so far, Kelly! :)
Oh, I know… figuring out how much and when to water in California is so tricky given the ongoing drought conditions. we’ve given up on the grass (as have most of our neighbors finally — we are thinking of doing a desert sand landscape next year – could be pretty cool) but I’ll admit it would make me a little sad to see our fruiting trees go down due to lack of water… let’s go rain!!
Butter is my weakness. I don’t eat much dairy these days, but I just can’t seem to give up butter, and these lovely compound butters seem like an awesome way to use up my abundance of herbs. Lovely photos, too! I am new to your website, although I am already a fan of your instagram account, and I can see I will be a regular visitor!
well, absent the advice of your health care practitioner, I say no reason to give up butter :o) I certainly don’t plan to. A little bit of stable, naturally occurring saturated fat in the diet over synthetics any day. Thank you so much for stopping by Kristie… lovely to see you here!
Wow…the basil, black pepper and garlic does sound AMAZING. The only time I have made compound butter is with my spring ramps ;) I have to give some of these a try this summer. I love the idea of bringing these to parties for gifts. So fancy!!! We definitely use more butter then we should, but at least we are using good cultured butter from the farm I work on. Love the pictures from your garden XXX
ah, yes, ramps – nothing like it! My husband would adore a version that included the wild spring onion; I have to go on a foraging quest one of these days :)
Just fabulous! I love all three of your combos – I’d seriously have a hard time picking a favorite! Your yard and plants must be amazing! <3
thanks so much for stopping by Patricia — we are having so much fun in our garden; it turns out the climate really does help turn a black thumb to grey ;-)
All of these combinations sound divine. And you’re right – there truly is no substitute for the highest quality butter. I am so hopeful that I will be able to reintroduce dairy, as life just isn’t as full without it! :) I’m going to try making your garlic, black pepper and basil rendition with ghee though, I think that would still be fantastic.
I’m getting a late start on planting – it’s happening this weekend!
I’m enjoying witnessing your journey Amanda… so positive. Today oatmeal, tomorrow butter :) xx
These rolls look so beautiful, I cannot believe it’s herb butter (I already see myself making a huge mess instead of neatly shaped rolls). How come I have never made it? I regularly have it with snails and always mop up all the melted butter with my bread. The typical snail’s garlic and parsley butter is so good most people say it’s the only reason why people love snails in France ;-) .
I am one of those people who have never bought any butter substitute and as you, I think butter is obligatory in certain dishes/situations, so I’m getting ready to make my own seasoned butter! Thank you so much for these extraordinary ideas. The garlic version would also be my first choice (if I had to choose because it would be very difficult…) because of … the garlic of course ;-) but the zesty flavours look so tempting…
From what you say I can imagine your garden as one of the most magical places on earth… what is this tree with those beautiful flowers?
I know the “problem” of too much herb… I have it even on my balcony and now for example I wonder how to deal with my chives jungle ;-) I should offer my neighbours some of it, just like you!
I was wondering the same thing Sissi – these compounded butters are so you! :) I bet you would create some gorgeous, Asian inspired combinations too. My husband would love it if I had overgrown chives right now… he’s always scouring the fridge looking for fresh green onions to top his savory dishes. Yes, snails in butter… simply divine; reminds me of my parents.
That tree is our flowering Feijoa (pineapple guava tree — isn’t it something?) xx
I love compound butters, but we never make them. (certainly eat them though!) I love all of your flavor combos and I’m absolutely salivating now. And I’m definitely in the mood for a picnic now! What a great idea Kelly. I just love the abundance of your garden. It has to be so peaceful and beautiful on your morning walks. I’d be tempted to just lay down and stare up in wonder at all that beauty! :)
they’re so easy to make that it’s really worthwhile and of course the big advantage is that you get to create your favorite combos — bet the young ones would love this project mom :)
My favourite compound butter is either with roasted garlic or fresh herbs, but usually with parsley. Must try it with cilantro next time.
parsley, yes!! delightful and roasting the garlic is always an option. Delish.
I agree- there’s no substitute for butter in certain applications! And butter is not all that bad for you, especially when they look as cute as yours ;) See, I need to live next door to your garden paradise so you can bring *me* some compound butter as a hostess gift. I’ll bake you some sourdough and we can dine together. Yes? I’m particularly intrigued with your cilantro lime butter in case you’re wondering. xo
it’s a deal! (outside of marrying my husband, I think that may be the best bargain I’ve ever struck ;-)
sorry, I think it was roasted poblano… I’m having a severe senior moment… (sigh)
I love compound butters, and this past year for some reason I started playing around with quite a few flavors – one of my favorites was made with bits of the fresh truffle I got from a friend.. but we made one with bacon that turned out delicious too (I know it sounds odd).
another great one was roasted jalapeno and cilantro (if I remember correctly, I think that one ended in the blog)
your photos are simply GORGEOUS!
Ooh, the roasted poblano sounds wonderful! I use ancho chile quite a bit in cooking so I think our family would love the roasted version as well… so much fun playing around with these compound butters with only our imaginations limiting us ;-).