Garden Inspired Herb Butter

compound butters

I look forward to summer and using all my fresh garden herbs, I’m constantly thinking of ways to incorporate them into my dishes. One of my favorite ways is to make herb butter, also known as compound butter.

When making herb butter the sky’s the limit. You can choose your favorite combinations with additions of garlic, shallots, citrus, edible flowers, mustards and even some spicy heat, it’s really fun to make it your own so whatever you use you can’t go wrong.

herb garden

For my compound butter I used a combination of rosemary, lemon and English thyme, parsley, basil, oregano and chives, I picked some lavender but at the end decided not to use it in this batch.

fresh herbs

I also added some of my hot pepper chili’s to spice it up a bit.  Herbed butters can be used with seafood and fish of all kinds, grilled meats, potatoes, rice, all different veggies and breads, croutons, pasta, eggs and omelets, there are endless ways to use them.

 

herb butter

Herb butters keep in the fridge for around a week but they freeze very well for up to three months, so keep that in mind when you’re making  a batch if you want to keep a stash in your freezer like I do or if you want to give some away as a delicious hostess gift.

 

herbed buttered corn

Infused herb butter that’s melted into a hot steamy ear of corn is a game changer!

buttered corn

Ready to make some?

Garden Inspired Herb Butter
 
You'll want to make extra so that you'll have a stash tucked away in your freezer.
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, very room temperature and soft
  • 2 Tablespoons of finely chopped herbs, like thyme, basil, oregano, chives, parsley, remove all stems
  • 1garlic clove, chopped finely
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • a small pinch of red pepper or a small portion of a chopped red chili ( optional)
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Place the softened butter into a bowl and with a spatula fold in all the other ingredients then add the salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Place the whole bowl into the fridge so the butter mixture can harden up a bit so you can easily form it into a log.
  3. Take a piece of plastic wrap and lay it on the counter and spoon it on top then roll it into a log and twist the ends.
  4. Stick the log into the fridge and let it completely harden up before slicing and using it.
  5. Stays well in the fridge for a week and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

 

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Herb and Citrus Crusted Fish

herb crusted fish Here’s a simple and easy way to prepare fish and a great excuse to use up some of those fresh herbs you got growing in your garden. It’s healthy, light, packed with flavor and you can get your dinner on the table in no time!

garden herbs There’s no exact recipe here, just pick some of your favorite herbs, I used basil, chives and parsley. Chop the herbs up real good, zest a whole lemon and grate one clove of garlic over a microplane, then mix everything together.

Dijon mustard coated cod Choose a beautiful fish filet, something white preferably, I used wild caught Atlantic cod.

Place your fish on a parchment lined baking sheet, season it with salt and pepper and brush some of your best Dijon mustard all over the top.

Don’t be heavy handed with the mustard, just a nice swipe all over.

herb covered cod Now pat your herb, citrus and garlic mixture right on top, the mustard will help everything stick and add to the flavor.

Drizzle generously with olive oil before placing into the oven.

herb covered cod Roast at 400 degrees F. for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish filets.

herb covered fish Juicy, moist, with a ton of flavor and no breadcrumbs were required!

roasted veggies I roasted tiny patty pan squash along with baby zucchini, mini peppers and sweet potato slices for my side, they took as long as the fish did to cook.

herb covered cod with roasted veggies A healthy, vibrant, dinner indeed!

 

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