Compound Butter

(From Cousin Hayman)

Garlic Butter

Garlic or compound butter is fun because it can be used for a lot of different things and is handy to have around.  This is what is called a compound butter in that this is a mix of Butter, Garlic, Salt, and Herbs.  Compound butters can be made using most anything like Honey and Cinnamon for a nice treat, Green Olives and Olive Oil, or most any spice combination.  We use a lot of Garlic Butter for different things so here it is.

You will need four sticks of un-salted butter, some salt, lemon juice, some Garlic, and what ever your favorite herbs are like dried parsley or cilantro.   Let the butter soften at room temperature for about an hour and prepare you Garlic by finely dicing the Garlic into very small pieces. How much Garlic to use is up to you however I like about one big piece of clove of Garlic per stick of butter!

While the butter is softening and you are preparing the Garlic, grab some wax paper and cut about 6-8 18" lengths of wax paper to be used for wrapping the butter.  If you have some rubber bands around or tape that will come in handy as well.  Ok, now that the Garlic is ready and the butter is softened, place the un-wrapped butter into a mixing bowel and mash into a consistency of mashed potatoes or cookie dough.  Now add the Garlic, a little olive oil if you like, about a tablespoon of drive parsley (it gives a nice appearance), the garlic, a couple of dashes of the lemon juice and some salt (to taste).  Mix all the ingredients together like cookie dough and then spoon onto the wax paper and create round sticks of butter and wrap with the paper and secure with a rubber band or tape.  Place in the fridge until ready for use or store in the freezer.

Honey Butter

Honey butter is great for serving with hot rolls, fresh bread, or biscuits either for breakfast or for dinner. Honey butter really does not describe this compound butter as it does have honey, yet it also has brown sugar and other items. The effect however is a sweat butter for serving on rolls, bread, and other items.

You will need four sticks of un-salted butter, some salt, some lemon juice, honey, and brown sugar. Let the butter soften at room temperature for about an hour or so that it can be worked with easily.

While the butter is softening grab some wax paper and cut about 6-8 18" lengths of wax paper to be used for wrapping the butter.  If you have some rubber bands around or tape that will come in handy as well.  Now would also be a good time to sift about 1/2 cup of brown sugar through a strainer into a fine dust so it works into the mixture better. You could get sophisticated and sift the sugar onto a hard flat surface or place into a cup and pound into a powder and then sift.

Ok, now that the butter is softened, place the un-wrapped butter into a mixing bowel and mash into a consistency of mashed potatoes or cookie dough.  Now add the lemon juice, about two table spoons of honey, and fold the mixture adding the brown sugar. Mix all like cookie dough and then spoon onto the wax paper and create round sticks of butter and wrap with the paper and secure with a rubber band or tape.  Place in the fridge until ready for use or store in the freezer.

For an added treat, instead of placing on the wax paper and making rolls or sticks of the compound butter, cover and refridge the mixture for a couple of hours to let the flavors blend. Then remove the mixture and let warm up and soften until workable at which point you can use this as a spread, or make shapes, or what ever!