This festive hors d'oeuvre, which appeared in Gourmet’s 1970 Thanksgiving menu, is all about the presentation and pairing of peppery radishes and creamy butter. It instructs you to use a butter curler, a tool that resembles a hook with a handle, about the same size as a vegetable peeler, which shaves delicate tendrils of butter that can be formed into little loose curls or more compact decorative egg shapes.

　　This recipe is a part of our ‘70s-themed vintage Thanksgiving menu.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 6

　　1 block very cold salted butter

　　1 bunch radishes, cleaned and crisped in ice water

　　

Step 1

Have ready a block of very cold salted butter, a bowl of hot water, and a butter curler. Dip the butter curler into the bowl of hot water, draw it firmly across the length of the block of butter (the butter should cut away and follow the tool in a curl), and repeat the process until you have the desired number of curls.

　　

Step 2

Arrange the butter curls in cracked ice or a chilled bowl and serve them with a bowl of radishes, cleaned and crisped in ice water.