Compound Butter

Butter makes everything better! Or in the immortal words of Homer Simpson “mmmmm butter”.  Believe it or not but it is possible to make butter taste even better.  Just a couple more simple ingredients and you’ve upped it a notch.  Compound butter is, as it names implies, a combination of ingredients mixed into the butter. 

I had my first taste of compound butter in Paris, France.  A nice thick slice of creamy, herby (is herby a word?  It is now, we’ll add that to the witch’s dictionary) butter over a steak, it was combined with a  pinch of salt and pepper.  I had a nice T-bone steak on the menu for tonight and some herbs that were on their last legs.  Seemed like a perfect time to revisit Paris on my dinner plate.

Ingredients

1/2 c softened butter

2 – 3 tsp chopped fresh herbs (I used rosemary and thyme)

Salt and Pepper

Directions

Place softened butter in a medium sized bowl.

Mash with a fork.

Chop your herbs.

Add to the butter.

Add salt.

Then Pepper.

Mix well.

Place on a square of wax paper, shaped like a log.

Roll it around a bit, so it’s nice and compact and uniform.

Roll the wax paper around the butter.

Twist the ends like a piece of candy.

Refrigerate until firm (about 1 hour).

Slice and serve on top of a steak, spread on a roll, cook your eggs in it or whatever your imagination thinks of.

“mmmm….compound butter”