Recipe of the Week: Butter Gets an Upgrade

There are some foods that just go together, like bread and butter. Delicious in its own right, using a compound butter can turn plain old bread and butter into something grand.

Compound butter is simply softened butter with herbs, spices or other flavors blended in. Whether it’s a handful of chopped, fresh herbs, minced or roasted garlic, citrus zest or even a splash of wine, you can create your own butter using your favorite flavors.

You can use compound butters in a number of ways. Add a pat to your pan before scrambling eggs or making an omelet or add a slice of chilled butter to a steak hot off the grill.

When making compound butter, make sure your butter is soft so you can easily blend in other ingredients. You can quickly soften butter in the microwave, but be careful not to melt it. Chop garlic and other ingredients finely before adding to your butter. The finished butter should be smooth, not chunky. Always use unsalted butter so you can control the amount of salt in your finished product.

A little fresh thyme and minced garlic create a silky-smooth spread that makes a wonderful garlic bread. You can use your butter as a spread while it’s soft and creamy or place the finished product on a piece of parchment paper and roll it into a log that you can slice as needed. Compound butters will last for about a week in the fridge if wrapped tightly or stored in an airtight container.

Garlic Thyme Butter

Makes about ½ cup.

4 ounces unsalted butter (1 stick), softened

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl until well mixed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Press butter into a 4-ounce ramekin and serve.