Herb Butter: The Recipe You’ll Make All Summer
As we arrive at the start of summer, herbs are abundant. Making herb butter is a great way to use your herbs that is low effort, and high reward. Having fresh herb butter on hand makes even a simple piece of toasted bread and butter feel special. It takes about five minutes, keeps well in the fridge, and makes just about everything taste better. Using herbs fresh from the farm is so simple and delicious. Once you make your own, you won’t go back!
My absolute favorite pairing is herb butter on a slice of fresh sourdough. There's something about bread and butter that’s good for the soul; when the bread still warm, the butter softens as it spreads, and the smell of fresh herbs fills the kitchen. It’s a small joy in the day, and always a reminder to slow down and enjoy the simple pleasures of life.
Here's how to make it.
What You Need
1 stick of good salted butter, softened at room temperature
A generous handful of fresh herbs, chopped finely; chives, parsley, thyme, and basil work beautifully, alone or together
A pinch of flaky salt to taste
Optional: a small clove of garlic, finely grated; a squeeze of lemon
How To Make It
Chop your herbs finely. The smaller the better; you want them distributed through every bite, not clumped in one spot.
Mix everything into the softened butter with a fork until it's evenly combined. Taste it. Add more salt or herbs to taste.
Lay a sheet of parchment or plastic wrap flat on the counter, spoon the butter onto it in a rough log shape, and roll it up. Twist the ends to seal. You can also put all of your butter into a jar and seal. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using, or freeze it for up to three months.
Note: You can make this herb butter with butter that you buy from the store, or you can make your own butter. To make your own butter, simply pour 1 pint of a high quality heavy cream into a mixer, and mix on level 2-3 for about 15 minutes. You’ll want to keep an eye on it after 10 minutes of mixing, because when it starts to separate and form clumps of butter, it will start to splash at higher speeds. Turn the speed down to level 1 or cover with a towel to prevent the mess. (Once your butter is formed, what’s left in the bowl is buttermilk, which you can save and use, [pancakes is a popular one!]). Take your butter out of the bowl and squeeze out all of the liquid. At this point you can add in salt and herbs, mix, and shape your butter or put it in a jar.
As a Gift
Giving someone homemade herb butter is such a thoughtful gift. It takes almost no time to make, but it doesn't feel that way when you receive it. Put into a little jar, wrapped with some ribbon, and added to a basket alongside a dozen fresh eggs or a good loaf of bread, and you have something your friend or relative will actually use and love!
Pairing Herb Butter with What You Have From the Farm
Here’s where herb butter really seals the deal. If you're already doing your grocery shopping from the farm, you have everything you need to make it shine!
On chicken: tuck a generous amount under the skin of a whole chicken before roasting or add on top when cooking pieces. As the bird cooks, the butter melts slowly into the meat, keeping it moist and infusing every bite with herb flavor. A parsley butter is particularly good here. Let the chicken rest, then spoon the juice from the pan over the top before serving.
On eggs: stir a small amount into scrambled eggs right at the end, just as they come off the heat. A chive butter works beautifully here, or try basil if you have tomatoes to go alongside. For a fried egg, melt the herb butter in the pan instead of plain butter.
On vegetables: toss roasted or steamed vegetables in herb butter straight from the oven while everything is still hot. This works perfectly with kale and squash during this time of year.
You can get all of your fresh herbs from the farm here!
Good food doesn't have to be complicated. Making your own butter is both delicious and rewarding, and a few minutes is all it takes to make everything on your table taste a little more like summer.
-The Grand Cru Farm Team
