French Recipe: Beurre composé or herb butter

French people eat a lot of butter – averaging 8kg per person each year. I am eating more than I did back in the US, but it’s really, really good.

Beurre Composé

Beurre Composé (Compound Butter, or butter with herbs and stuff in it) is ideal for serving with grilled meats or fish, making almost any basic dish stand out. Whenever I get a hold of some ramps or a lot of herbs from the garden, I make at least 1lb of compound butter for the freezer, packing as many herbs into it as I can and still call it butter.

Below is a basic recipe with good proportions, but I would work in more herbs than suggested – I always do.

Try to work neatly for your own sake. Its always a mess when I do it.

K

Beurre Composé

Makes 16 tbsp servings

Note:

·      this will keep in the freezer for year.

·      Roll about 1” wide onto parchment paper or plastic. This is easy to cut and measure later. Foil can affect the flavor.

·      Label and date your stuff.

Ingredients:

·      1 cup (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, but not melted

·      3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley – I prefer flat leaf

·      1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh herbs of your choice (e.g., chives, dill, or tarragon – or all of them. A good use for those bunches of herbs you bought for only one recipe and are left over.)

·      1 clove garlic, minced (optional)

·      Zest of half a lemon (optional)

·      1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

·      1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

For ramp butter, I just use at least 3 tbsp of ramps with lemon, S&P. Again, I work in as much as I can. It’s a green butter when I’m done.

Instructions:

1. Chop all herbs, mince garlic and zest lemon, if you’re using it. I always use lemon and almost never use garlic.

2. Soften the Butter and work it around smooth. You might be tempted to use a food processor, but it doesn’t do well for me. Stir butter until creamy and you can move the spoon through it steadily, but it is still thick.

I have used a double boiler on low or you can try to microwave in 10-second bursts, but it melts too quickly.

3. Add herbs, garlic (if using), and zest into butter. Mush around until evenly distributed.

4. Add S&P. Mix to combine.

Shape. Lay out a piece of parchment paper. Using a spatula, form a 1” (3cm) log.

7. Chill: Roll the parchment paper tightly around the butter to shape it into a neat roll. Twist the ends to seal. Most of mine goes right into the freezer, but chill in fridge until firm, usually less than 2 hours.

8. Serve: When ready to use, remove the butter from the fridge, unwrap it, and cut it into slices about 0.5 to 1 cm thick.

This is usually best uses as a finishing butter, after everything has been cooked. Add to steaks, chicken, seafood, vegetables, for richness and flavor. A simple ingredient to elevate any dish.