Chipotle Butter

Compound butters…

While in Santa Fe back in September we had these wonderful Blue Corn Muffins served with chipotle butter. The butter was so good and had a little heat and a little sweetness to it and got me thinking about the compound butter post I had started years ago and never finished.

Compound butter is simply butter with elegance added and we all are aware that anything with butter is all that much better and when we are starting to see our herbs come to the end of their summer lives what better way to resurect them than to make a compound butter to put in your freezer for those cold (or chilly) months and remember what your herbs gave up for you. Typically compound butters are rolled into a cylinder shape and chilled or frozen and then pats of the butter are served on the steak, fish or even vegetables or even better a sweet butter with a warm scone.

I love making compound butters because it makes whatever you put it on so delicious. A compound butter simply means that there is some sort of flavoring or seasoning added to the butter. It can be a savory butter or a sweet butter to go along with your morning scones.

I think the first time I ever made a compound butter was when I made Chicken Kiev as a newlywed and wow, how wonderful it made something that wasn’t much more than a fancy fried chicken breast, rolled around a piece of butter and deep fried. But, when you cut in the Chicken Kiev and that herbed butter streamed all over the rice you had set it on, I knew then that I was going to like this new adventure of cooking for my family.

At Christmas one year my son, Paul,. made a Bacon Compound Butter. Now talk about good. See below for recipe. Very simple. This would be good on a steak (it was) or baked potato, pasta. You name it — bacon is good on anything.

Compound butter can turn any dish into a more special dish just by the additional of one pat of one of these butters. Here are a few compound butters along with my Chipotle Butter to go with the Blue Corn Muffins I just posted. It’s a lot of extra recipes but I’ve been putting off this compound butter post long enough and wanted you to have a few extra ideas.

Maitre d’Hotel Butter

1 stick butter, softened
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. chopped Italian parsley
1 clove garlic, finely minced
3 Tbsp. lemon juice (just from about 1 large lemon)

For the butter: Take the softened butter and add in all the other ingredients pressing with a wooden spoon so you get the flavor of the parsley and garlic and lemon juice mixed well with the butter. Lay out a piece of plastic wrap and form the butter into a log, wrap and refrigerate or freeze until firm.

Compound Bacon Butter

1/2 lb. bacon, fried
1-2 sticks butter

Fry and drain the bacon, chop very fine. Mix with the butter and roll in a log in wax paper. Store in freezer until needed.

Apricot Butter

1 stick butter, softened
1/3 c. finely chopped apricots
1/4 c. finely chopped pecans
2 Tbsp. apricot preserves

Soften the butter and stir in the chopped apricots, pecans and apricot preserves. form a log down the center of a piece of wax paper, roll up and twist ends. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.

Use this on waffles, pancakes, hot biscuits or scones.

Italian Herb Butter

2 sticks softened butter
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh sage
2 Tbsp.finely chopped fresh chives

Mix the softened butter and all the herbs together. Roll into a log and put in the middle of wax paper, roll up and twist ends. Store in refrigerator or freezer.

This is great to cut a pat to put on top of a steak, hot crusty bead right out of the oven or chicken off the grill.

Chili Lime Tequila Compound Butter

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tsp. minced jalapeño or serrano chilles
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. tequila
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir with a spatula until well mixed.

Turn the mixture out onto a piece of plastic wrap and form a log about 4 inches long.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until firm.

Slice into ½ inch discs when ready to use. Great on a steak or even corn on the cob.

Honey Orange Butter for Scones or Breads
(Great on scones or biscuits)

1/4 c. honey
2 sticks unsalted (or salted) butter, room temperature
2 tsp. orange zest

Mix all together, form into roll, wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate or freeze until needed.

Gorgonzola Scallion Compound Butter
(perfect for your next grilled steak)

1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
4 oz. Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled, at room temperature
1/4 c. chopped scallions
1 tsp. coarsely ground fresh black pepper
1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

Mix all together, roll into log and wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate or freeze.

Orange Jalapeño and Lemon Parsley with Thyme
(Great on grilled fish)

1 stick butter, softened
1 large jalapeño, roasted with seeds (top removed)
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. orange zest

Let the butter soften. Add to food processor along with roasted jalapeño (you can roast over stove top burner), salt and orange zest. Pulse to combine all ingredients. On your counter, lay out a piece of saran wrap. Place butter onto wrap, fold to cover butter and roll into long. Store in refrigerator for 1 hour until harden (or pop in freezer). Slice and use with whatever you want.

Ingredients for the chipotle butter.

Remove the seeds from the chipotle peppers, if you want more heat, leave them in.

Using a hand mixer, beat the butter and chipotle peppers and the sauce from the can until smooth.

Add in the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. Put in dish or roll in log and wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate or freeze until needed.