Compound Butter: Your newest secret weapon
Author & Photographer: Paige Resnick
Though I am only 21, my cholesterol has been checked, analyzed, and reanalyzed with a level of attention that is typically reserved for geriatric patients. While my parents often demonstrate a particular brand of Jewish anxiety that could be considered extreme (a trait I have certainly, reluctantly inherited), I couldn’t fault them for ordering the tests. I simply consume an obscene amount of butter on a regular basis. Two whole sticks are easily thrown into a recipe without second thought. I massage it into chicken, melt it down for sautéing veggies, dice it up for my flakey buttermilk biscuits (can you say L-A-Y-E-R-S?). I would be offended if you made me breakfast and cooked my eggs--fried or scrambled--in olive oil. That, my friends, is a travesty.
When the tests came back normal, my mother decided it wasn’t a bad parenting move to buy me my very own butter churner for Chanukah. If you’ve been keeping up with my articles (Anyone? Are you out there?), you know that Stephanie is a true pro when it comes to presents, particularly when picking something out for someone food-obsessed like me (perhaps you’ve read about her Valentine’s Day gift of tinned fish?). And this butter churner did not disappoint. Essentially a glass jar with a wooden crank and paddle for a lid, the churner takes heavy cream and separates it into buttermilk and butter after only 7-10 minutes. Your arm muscles may be sore, but it’s totally worth it. Fresh butter is much smoother, creamier, and more flavorful than the store bought stuff. Highly recommend.
Why is butter so damn good, you may ask? First you gotta know about mouthfeel. That’s just a fancy, chefy way of describing the way that fats coat your mouth and tongue, spreading that rich taste all over. The mouthfeel of butter also makes it a great flavor-carrier, meaning that any fat soluble ingredients like spices are transported throughout your mouth, snuggling up with your taste buds. Not to mention, butter is creamy, salty, and smooth, which are objectively all nice things.
Not only do I add butter to almost all of my dishes, I also keep glass Tupperware containers of compound butters in my fridge at all times. Compound butter is just butter mixed with any other ingredient your little (possibly clogged?) heart desires, giving any dish an instant upgrade. Spread it on your toast, melt it into freshly-drained pasta, put a dollop on meat or fish right off the grill. My butter churner came with two wooden butter paddles made specifically for mixing in any extras, but if you are using butter from the store (I won’t judge), just let it sit out for a couple hours to soften and then use a fork or electric mixer to get everything evenly combined.
I always use cultured, unsalted butter when cooking. While I am a sodium fiend (which also worries my parents), I like to have more control over my salt, so I add it myself. Always kosher, every time. Another tip: Always taste your butter. And everything else you make. Please! Some garlic is punchier, some anchovies are saltier, some miso is funkier. Your ratios will be completely dependent on the ingredients you use each day. So don’t worry about sticking a spoonful of butter in your mouth. Your taste buds will thank you later. So without further ado, here are some basic compound butters that are frequent inhabitants of my fridge. Just mix up the listed ingredients, store in a glass Tupperware, and you are done!
[Kalamata Olive Butter] Really great on crackers, even better on a baguette with some prosciutto
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
⅓ cup kalamata olives, drained, rinsed, and finely chopped
Kosher salt, to taste
[Anchovy Butter]Spread this on toast, add it to pasta with some parmesan, rub it on chicken before roasting
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1 tin of anchovies in oil, drained and finely chopped (I use the brand Cento because it’s cheap and salty)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
[Miso Butter]Sautée corn (frozen or fresh) with a couple tablespoons of this stuff. Mind. Blown.
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
6-8 tablespoons red miso paste
[Tomato Butter] Put this on your pasta for sure, also fab on any sautéed bitter greens.
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
6-8 tablespoons tomato paste
Kosher salt, to taste
[Garlic and Herb Butter]Classic with snails or steak, also great on roasted salmon. Oh, and don’t forget the garlic bread.
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ large shallot, minced
¼ cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
½ tablespoon white wine
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste