Compound Butter
Anyone who was outdoors yesterday for America's birthday party noticed that grilling season has kicked into high gear. In Astoria, celebrants were working their way down our street as early as 11 a.m. to claim the best patch of park space to view the evening's fireworks. The corner deli turned a profit as these first-nighters stopped in for ice, beer and sandwiches. In the row houses along the way, grills were in full plumage by noon at the latest, as the fragrances of woodsmoke and garlicky lamb mingled with the char of contraband firecrackers.
Steak, chicken, lamb, burgers, hot dogs, fish, veggies and even fruit find their place on the summer grill. A seasoned grillmaster builds the fire with the exactitude of a nuclear physicist; the best can tell by sight when coals and chips have reached optimum temperature for open cooking or enclosed smoking. Barbeque sauce from a family recipe drenches meat and poultry while seafood is threaded on skewers or laid across cedar planks. Peppers and onions sizzle on the grate while potatoes wrapped in foil cook right in the coals.
Food for grilling is typically treated with a marinade or a dry rub before being placed on the fire. This enhances the flavor of the food while preserving its moisture content when exposed to the intense heat of the grill. Another technique is to sauce food as it is grilling -- as mentioned above, barbeque sauce is common. But have you ever tried using compound butter?
Compound butter is called that because it is butter blended with additional ingredients to form a compound. It is easy to make and endlessly versatile. When applied to food either during cooking or after (or both), the butter enriches the dish while the additional flavor elements enhance and focus flavor. It is especially good with grilled food, but works well in your indoor kitchen as well.
Here is a foolproof master recipe for compound butter, along with several flavor combinations and suggestions for using them. Use these to get started, but be warned: once you get the hang of making and using compound butter, you will start thinking about using every flavor in your kitchen. Which is not a bad way at all for any cook -- or griller -- to think about their art.
COMPOUND BUTTER
Always use unsalted butter, but be prepared to add salt to some recipes as indicated. Be careful when using compound butter over a grill, if you apply it carefully when still slightly chilled, it shouldn't splatter.
4 tablespoons butter
Flavor enrichments (see below)
Technique
1. Place butter into a large mixing bowl. Cover loosely with a small piece of parchment paper and set aside to soften until workable, approximately 20 minutes.
2. While butter is softening, prepare the ingredients.
3. Add ingredients to the bowl containing the softened butter. Incorporate ingredients into butter using a silicon spatula. For butters using a wet ingredient, use a stick blender.
4. Roll butter onto a square of parchment or wax paper; use the paper to form compound butter into a log. Alternatively, scrape butter into a small serving bowl.
5. Chill until firm, about an hour.
6. To use, slice buttons off of log or scoop from serving bowl.
Flavor Enrichments
Lemon Anchovy Butter. Four anchovy fillets, de-boned if necessary and minced; two cloves garlic, pithed and pressed; the zest of one organic lemon, cleaned with a commercial produce wash then dried; several grindings of fresh black pepper. Good on chicken, seafood and lamb.
Shallot Herb Butter. Two medium shallots, peeled and minced; several stems of fresh green herb (thyme and savory work well); minced, a pinch of salt (Greek sea salt works well); several grindings fresh black pepper. Good on chicken, beef, pork and vegetables.
Orange Paprika Butter. 2 teaspoons smoked paprika; the zest of one organic orange, cleaned with a commercial produce wash then dried, plus 1 teaspoon of the juice. Good on chicken, lamb and vegetables.
Blue Cheese Butter. 3 tablespoons crumbled Gorgonzola or Maytag Blue; a pinch of salt (Greek sea salt works well); several grindings of fresh black pepper. Good on beef and pork.
Coffee Butter.: 2 teaspoons dark roast coffee ground extra fine; 1 teaspoon brown sugar; 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves; several grindings fresh black pepper. Good on beef and salmon.
Maple Butter. One tablespoon Grade A pure maple syrup; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Good on pork and vegetables.
Chile Lime Butter. 1-1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper; 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; the zest of one organic lime, cleaned with a commercial produce wash then dried, plus 1 teaspoon of the juice. Good on chicken, pork and vegetables.
Sake Wasabi Butter. 1 tablespoon dry Junmai sake mixed with 1 teaspoon wasabi powder. Good on seafood.
Steak, chicken, lamb, burgers, hot dogs, fish, veggies and even fruit find their place on the summer grill. A seasoned grillmaster builds the fire with the exactitude of a nuclear physicist; the best can tell by sight when coals and chips have reached optimum temperature for open cooking or enclosed smoking. Barbeque sauce from a family recipe drenches meat and poultry while seafood is threaded on skewers or laid across cedar planks. Peppers and onions sizzle on the grate while potatoes wrapped in foil cook right in the coals.
Food for grilling is typically treated with a marinade or a dry rub before being placed on the fire. This enhances the flavor of the food while preserving its moisture content when exposed to the intense heat of the grill. Another technique is to sauce food as it is grilling -- as mentioned above, barbeque sauce is common. But have you ever tried using compound butter?
Compound butter is called that because it is butter blended with additional ingredients to form a compound. It is easy to make and endlessly versatile. When applied to food either during cooking or after (or both), the butter enriches the dish while the additional flavor elements enhance and focus flavor. It is especially good with grilled food, but works well in your indoor kitchen as well.
Here is a foolproof master recipe for compound butter, along with several flavor combinations and suggestions for using them. Use these to get started, but be warned: once you get the hang of making and using compound butter, you will start thinking about using every flavor in your kitchen. Which is not a bad way at all for any cook -- or griller -- to think about their art.
COMPOUND BUTTER
Always use unsalted butter, but be prepared to add salt to some recipes as indicated. Be careful when using compound butter over a grill, if you apply it carefully when still slightly chilled, it shouldn't splatter.
4 tablespoons butter
Flavor enrichments (see below)
Technique
1. Place butter into a large mixing bowl. Cover loosely with a small piece of parchment paper and set aside to soften until workable, approximately 20 minutes.
2. While butter is softening, prepare the ingredients.
3. Add ingredients to the bowl containing the softened butter. Incorporate ingredients into butter using a silicon spatula. For butters using a wet ingredient, use a stick blender.
4. Roll butter onto a square of parchment or wax paper; use the paper to form compound butter into a log. Alternatively, scrape butter into a small serving bowl.
5. Chill until firm, about an hour.
6. To use, slice buttons off of log or scoop from serving bowl.
Flavor Enrichments
Lemon Anchovy Butter. Four anchovy fillets, de-boned if necessary and minced; two cloves garlic, pithed and pressed; the zest of one organic lemon, cleaned with a commercial produce wash then dried; several grindings of fresh black pepper. Good on chicken, seafood and lamb.
Shallot Herb Butter. Two medium shallots, peeled and minced; several stems of fresh green herb (thyme and savory work well); minced, a pinch of salt (Greek sea salt works well); several grindings fresh black pepper. Good on chicken, beef, pork and vegetables.
Orange Paprika Butter. 2 teaspoons smoked paprika; the zest of one organic orange, cleaned with a commercial produce wash then dried, plus 1 teaspoon of the juice. Good on chicken, lamb and vegetables.
Blue Cheese Butter. 3 tablespoons crumbled Gorgonzola or Maytag Blue; a pinch of salt (Greek sea salt works well); several grindings of fresh black pepper. Good on beef and pork.
Coffee Butter.: 2 teaspoons dark roast coffee ground extra fine; 1 teaspoon brown sugar; 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves; several grindings fresh black pepper. Good on beef and salmon.
Maple Butter. One tablespoon Grade A pure maple syrup; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Good on pork and vegetables.
Chile Lime Butter. 1-1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper; 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; the zest of one organic lime, cleaned with a commercial produce wash then dried, plus 1 teaspoon of the juice. Good on chicken, pork and vegetables.
Sake Wasabi Butter. 1 tablespoon dry Junmai sake mixed with 1 teaspoon wasabi powder. Good on seafood.
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