Flavored butter can make plain food instantly interesting by enlivening it with the flavors of fresh herbs, ginger, citrus, chiles, or roasted garlic. Keep some in the freezer to use in cooking or at the table. Give an instant flavor boost to plain steamed vegetables, broiled or grilled fish, eggs, grains, pasta, corn on the cob, or mashed potatoes. Slather it on fresh bread, rolls, or biscuits.

　　

Ingredients

yields generous 1/2 cup

　　1/2 cup butter, softened

　　Ingredients for one of the flavors listed

　　

Roasted Garlic Butter

1 head of Roasted Garlic, the softened cloves squeezed out of the papery husks

　　

Herbed Butter

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, tarragon, dill, or chives

　　

Gremolata Butter

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

　　2 tablespoons lemon juice

　　1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

　　1 garlic clove, minced or pressed

　　

Chipotle Lime Butter

1 tablespoon minced canned chipotles in adobo sauce

　　2 tablespoons lime juice

　　

Ginger Butter

2 tablespoons finely grated peeled ginger root

　　2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

　　A few splashes of Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce

　　1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint (optional)

　　

Step 1

Soften the butter at room temperature, or microwave for about 10 seconds. With a flexible spatula, mix in the flavor ingredients. Use the spatula to form the butter into a log on a piece of aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or waxed paper. Wrap the log and close tightly. Refrigerate or freeze.

　　

Step 2

For the best flavor protection, place the wrapped butter log in a labeled and dated plastic storage bag. Well-wrapped Flavored Butters will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks and in the freezer for 6 months. To use frozen butter, unwrap and slice off as much as you need. It may crumble if cut immediately out of the freezer, but it will slice cleanly after a few minutes at room temperature.

　　From Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers: Fresh Ideas for the Weeknight Table. Copyright © 2017 by Moosewood Collective. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC. Buy the full book from ThriftBooks or Amazon.