Savory butters
- Herb: 2-4 T. chopped fresh herbs such as chives, tarragon, mint or parsley.
- Citrus: 2 t. orange, lemon or lime juice and grated rind of one citrus.
- Tomato: 1 T. tomato puree.
- Garlic: 1-2 chopped garlic cloves.
- Chipotle-Cilantro: One chipotle chili, minced, from a can with adobo sauce and 2 t. dried, crushed cilantro.
- For sweet butter, naturally omit the salt and pepper.
- Sweet orange: 1-2 T. powdered sugar, 1 t. orange juice and the grated rind of one orange.
- Honey: 3 oz. honey, slowly beaten in.
- Maple: 4 T. maple syrup, slowly beaten in.
- Cinnamon: 1-2 T. powdered sugar and 1/2 t. cinnamon.
- Almond: 4 T. ground almonds.
- This can be done in a blender with whole almonds and 2 t. sugar. The sugar keeps the almonds from clumping.
- Brown sugar and cinnamon: 4 t. packed brown sugar, 1/4 t. nutmeg and 1/4 t. cinnamon.
- Rum: Omit the cinnamon above and replace with 2 t. dark rum
If you want to be more decorative, place your flavored butter on a large piece of waxed paper or film wrap, cover with the same and roll out with a rolling pin until thin. Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm. Remove and working quickly, remove the top layer of covering and use cookie cutters to press out desired shapes. Remove to the refrigerator again and cool until firm and ready to use.
Many of today's generation don't use real butter, and it's a shame. But margarine works just as well for the savory. The sweet flavored butters really do benefit from unsalted real butter, but try it anyway with margarine if you don't particularly care for the real thing. You may be pleasantly surprised. Check out my web site, theyankeechef.com, for more ideas for flavored butters.
