Butter, delicious enough on its own, but when sweet and savory flavors are added, it takes it to a whole new level. That’s exactly what we’re doing her today. Three recipes that will reward you with good eats a plenty.

Let’s begin with Compound Butter. It’s about as versatile as it gets.

Begin with combining oil, chives, thyme, sage and rosemary in a food processor until the herbs are chopped finely and the oil takes on a greenish hue.

Next add cubed butter in a mixer with the whisk attachment. Whisk for 5-7 minutes or until it has softened and lightened in color.

Now, add the herb oil in and whisk for another 2 minutes.

Get out a sheet of parchment paper.

Spoon the butter mixture on top.

Fold over the parchment.

Start to roll the parchment from one end, tucking under as you go and creating a log.

Twist off one side…

…and then the other. Pop in the fridge and slice off as you need it.

This butter is amazing! I plan to have it on hand regularly in our house. Try it with sautéing vegetables, making scrambled eggs, spreading on rolls…the possibilities are endless. It gives any dish a rich and earthy flavor. Good Eats for sure!

Compound Butter

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 pound butter
3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon sage, chopped
1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped

Directions

Chop the butter into uniform chunks using the dough scraper.

Place the oil into the food processor and add the chives. Process until the chives are finely chopped. Add the remaining herbs and blend until the herbs have colored the oil. Using the whisk attachment, whip the butter in the mixer’s work bowl at medium speed until it softens and lightens in color, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the herb oil to the butter and beat for another 2 minutes until oil is fully incorporated. Remove butter from bowl and spoon onto parchment paper or plastic wrap. Roll into a log, using the edge of a baking sheet to form a tight log. Chill for 2 hours before serving.

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, Food Network

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Let’s take a stroll down Sweet Lane. This recipe is my personal favorite from the episode. Honey butter! I got excited just typing that 🙂

The process starts the same way, cube up the butter.

Add it to the mixer.

Mix until it’s light a fluffy. Add in the honey, cinnamon and vanilla.

Spoon on parchment paper and roll up like we did above.

Go to your local farm and buy some delicious Pumpkin Bread. Yes, I’m very lucky!

Slather on and devour immediately!

This butter is irresistible. Sweetened from the honey with the added warmth from the cinnamon, it’s darn Good Eats!

Honey Butter

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 pound butter
1/4 cups honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Cut the butter into chunks using the dough scraper.

Place butter into the mixer?s work bowl and beat at low speed, using the whisk attachment to loosen the butter. Increase the speed to medium and add the honey, cinnamon, and vanilla extract and beat until well combined, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove butter from bowl and spoon onto parchment paper or plastic wrap. Roll into a log and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, Food Network

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Our final recipe in “A Case for Butter” is the Beurre Blanc sauce. Beurre Blanc literally translated from French is “white butter”. It’s an emulsified butter sauce made with the reduction wine and shallots, in other words, heaven sauce. The trick to making a Beurre Blanc is to add the cold butter to the reduction off of the heat so it doesn’t separate. Sounds a little complicated, but I promise, it’s really easy.

Chop up 2 shallots…

…and a lemon for juicing.

Add shallots, lemon juice and white wine in a sauce pan over high heat.

While that’s reducing, cut up your butter and get heavy cream ready.

The shallot mixture should reduce down to about 2 tablespoons.

Add in cream and 1 cube of butter at a time. Make sure you put the butter in on the heat and whisk it off of the heat. You’ll be moving your pan back a forth A LOT, but your hard work will be rewarded 🙂

You’ve made a Beurre Blanc!

Now plate a nice juicy steak…

…and slowly pour it right over the top. Heaven!

It has this wonderful creamy texture and just bit of tang. You can add this to just about anything, fillet mignon (as I did), chicken, fish, eggs, vegetables and french fries to name a few. Personally I would cut the lemon in half next time. Still, it was delicious Good Eats!

Raymond Beurre Blanc

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 to 2 shallots, chopped fine
8 ounces white wine
2 ounces lemon juice
1 tablespoon heavy cream
12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
Salt and white pepper, to taste

Directions

Combine the shallots, white wine, and lemon juice in a non-reactive saucepan over high heat and reduce to 2 tablespoons.

Add the cream to the reduction. Once the liquid bubbles, reduce the heat to low. Add the butter, one cube at a time, whisking first on the heat and then off the heat. Continue whisking butter into the reduction until the mixture is fully emulsified and has reached a rich sauce consistency. Season with salt and white pepper. Store beurre blanc in a thermos until ready to serve.

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, Food Network

In closing, butter is good. Butter works. If we buy it fresh, handle it correctly, pay attention to its needs, it will reward us. Case dismissed. -AB