Plain and Cultured Homemade Butter
Why waste money on butter when you can prepare your own out of the extra heavy cream you have and adapt it to your taste? Plus this way you will also get buttermilk. This recipe shows you how can you easily make plain and cultured butter.
Yields: 1 cup
Ingredients:
1-pint Heavy Cream, preferably organic
2 tbsp plain Yogurt, for culturing only
¼ tsp Salt, optional
2-3 cups water, for washing
Method of Preparation:
Culturing the Cream (optional): Pour the cream into a bowl, one day before. Add the yogurt and mix to combine. Leave to culture in a warm place, about 70 degrees F. Check the mixture after 10-12 hours. If it is not foamy and does not smell tangy or sour, leave it to culture another 12-24 hours. When cultured, refrigerate the mixture for about 1 hour or until it reaches 60 degrees F. If you choose to make plain butter and not to culture it, let the cream sit at room temperature for about one hour before churning it. Churning the Cream: Place the cream in the bowl of your blender. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap so it doesn’t splatter. Mix at medium-high for about 5-10 minutes. In the first few minutes, it will whip into peaks and then the cream will become grainy. You know that it’s done when the butter and buttermilk are separated. Straining off the Buttermilk: Line a sieve with cheesecloth. Place it over a bowl. Pour the buttermilk through the cheesecloth (The solid butter will stay on top of the cloth). Using both hands, gather the cheesecloth around the butter and press it so you get rid of the excess liquid. Repeat this process a couple more time so you can get as much buttermilk as you can. Pour it into a bottle. Refrigerate the buttermilk. Washing the Butter: First, rinse out the bowl where the buttermilk was. Place the butter in the same bowl. Pour in 1/2 cup of cold water. Press the butter with a spatula. Discard the cloudy water. Repeat this process until the water is clear. Finishing: If you choose to make salty butter, sprinkle the salt and knead with your hands. Place the butter in a jar with a lid or roll a log with parchment paper. Label it. * Stored in the refrigerator the butter can be consumed for about three weeks. It can be frozen for a couple of months.
Anchovy Butter
Add some anchovy saltiness to your favorite steak or seafood, by cooking with this homemade flavored butter with anchovies combined with garlic, lemon juice, and hot paprika.
Yields:1 cup
Ingredients:
1 ½ sticks Butter
10 Anchovies, drained and minced
1 tsp Lemon Juice
½ tsp Hot Paprika
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
Method of Preparation:
Place all of the ingredients in a bowl. Using a fork, mix to combine them well. Store in a ½ pint-sized jar with a lid. Use it immediately or refrigerate. Enjoy. * It will keep up to 5-7 days in the refrigerator and 2-3 months in the freezer. * Cooking suggestion: Pasta with seafood.
Avocado Butter
For those who love avocado, this is a perfect way to up the flavor of your favorite meals by adding some of this tasteful compound butter. The best part is that it is absolutely effortless to prepare.
Yields: Approximately 2 cups
Ingredients: 2 sticks of butter 5 ounces ripe Avocado Meat 1 minced Garlic Clove 1 tbsp chopped fresh Cilantro 2 tsp toasted and ground Cumin 1 tbsp Lemon or Lime Juice Salt and Pepper, to taste
Method of Preparation: Pit and peel the avocados. Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of your food processor. Season with some salt and pepper. Mix until paste forms. Transfer the batter onto parchment paper. Roll into a log. Cut off the excess paper. Twist the ends to seal the log. Refrigerate or freeze. Enjoy. * It will keep up to one week in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer * Cooking suggestion: Chicken enchiladas.
Bacon and Bourbon Butter
Even though we will all agree that it seems like an odd combination, this sweetened butter with bacon, bourbon, maple syrup, and brown sugar, will blow your mind with its power to take any kind of meal to a higher level.
Yields:
½ cup
Ingredients:
1 slice bacon, finely chopped
1 stick butter
1 tbsp Maple Syrup
1 tbsp Bourbon by choice
1 tsp Brown Sugar
1 tsp Olive Oil Salt, to taste
Method of Preparation: Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place the bacon in a skillet. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, until crispy. Remove from heat, but reserve the fat. Drain with paper towels. In a small bowl combine the butter, bacon, bacon fat, sugar and maple syrup. Season with some salt, to taste. Using a fork whisk the mixture until combined. Transfer the butter on plastic wrap. Roll into a cylinder. Refrigerate. Enjoy. * It will keep up to 7 days in the refrigerator and 3 months in the freezer. * Cooking suggestion: Shrimps.
Bell Pepper Butter
This colorful combination of green, red and yellow bell peppers with red onion, garlic powder and butter is best used melted for cooking your sizzling steaks. Despite cooking, you can use it as topping for meat or grilled veggies.
Yields: 1 ¼ cup
Ingredients:
2 sticks of Butter
¼ cup Red Bell Peppers, finely chopped
¼ cup Yellow Bell Peppers, finely chopped
¼ cup Green Bell Peppers, finely chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped Red Onion
¼ tsp Garlic Powder
Method of Preparation: Place all of the ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Transfer to a jar or roll into a cylinder with parchment paper. Refrigerate or freeze. Enjoy. * It will keep up to two weeks in the refrigerator and 4-5 months in the freezer. * Cooking suggestion: Steaks, omelets.
Blue Cheese Shallot Butter
This compound butter is such a wonderful addition to your meals. Top your steak with these delicious slices of butter and watch them slowly melt and improve the taste of the meat.
Yields: 2 cups
Ingredients:
2 ½ sticks of Butter
3 tbsp minced Shallot
½ cup crumbled Blue Cheese
¼ cup finely chopped fresh Parsley
½ tsp crushed Red Pepper Flakes Salt and Pepper, to taste Method of Preparation: Place all of the ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Mix with a fork, until well incorporated. Place the butter onto a sheet of parchment paper. Roll into a cylinder. Twist the ends of the paper to seal. Refrigerate or freeze. Enjoy. * It will keep up to 5-7 days in the refrigerator and a couple of months in the freezer. * Cooking suggestion: Sauces for chicken.
Browned Sage Butter
For those who have a sage bush in their gardens, this is a really great way to use fresh leaves. The richness of the brown butter and the unique aroma of the sage will make even the simplest meals amazing.
Yields: 1 pound
Ingredients:
1 pound Butter
1 ounce Fresh Sage Leaves, finely chopped
Method of Preparation: Place the butter in a shallow skillet. Melt over medium heat. First, it will be foamy and then bubbly. Remove it from heat when you can smell that hazelnut-like odor. Transfer the butter into a bowl. Scrape it the browned solids that have formed on the bottom. Mix thoroughly. Let cool completely. Refrigerate the butter, until it becomes spreadable. Transfer to a food processor. Add the sage leaves. Process until fully incorporated. Place two sheets of waxed paper on a flat surface. Divide the butter between the sheets. Roll into logs. Refrigerate. Enjoy. * It will keep up to 10 days in the refrigerator and 3 months in the freezer. * Cooking suggestion: Butternut squash ravioli.
Café de Paris Butter
You cannot be cooking a meal from the French Cuisine and not have this amazing butter as your ingredient. All of the spices you need in one place combined with butter, for an effortless meal rich in flavors.
Yields: 1 Pint Jar
Ingredients:
4 sticks of Butter
1-ounce Shallots, minced
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
2 tsp Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
2 tsp Fresh Chives, finely chopped
1 tsp Capers in Brine, rinsed and finely chopped
½ Garlic Clove, minced
2 tsp Brandy
1 ½ tbsp Lemon Juice Pinch of Orange zest
¼ tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 Anchovy Fillet, rinsed and minced
Pinch of Tarragon
Pinch of dried Marjoram
Pinch of dried Dill Pinch of Thyme
Pinch of Curry Powder
Pinch of Sweet Paprika
Pinch of Black Pepper
Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
Method of Preparation: Place all of the ingredients except butter in a small bowl. Mix to combine them well. Add butter. Using a fork, mix so they are well incorporated. Transfer the butter to a pint-sized jar with a lid. Refrigerate. Enjoy. * It will keep up to two weeks in the refrigerator and 3-4 months in the freezer. * Cooking suggestion: Baked fish fillets.
Cajun Butter
Even the simplest meals can taste amazing with this zippy cajun butter. Cook chunks of chicken breasts in a skillet with melted cajun butter and put a smile on everybody’s face.
Yields: ½ cup
Ingredients:
1 stick of Butter
1 tsp Chili Powder
½ tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp Brown Sugar
½ tsp dried Thyme
¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper
¼ tsp Garlic Powder
Method of Preparation: Place all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Mix with a fork to combine. Transfer the butter to a small glass jar with a lid. Refrigerate. Enjoy. * It will keep up to two weeks in the refrigerator and up to a couple of months in the freezer. * Cooking suggestion: Marinade for chicken.
Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Butter
Add some of this delicious butter over your sizzling meat in the skillet and enjoy a delightful meal that is bursting with flavors. This flavored butter is also good with vegetables such as potatoes or carrots.
Yields:
2 ½ cups
Ingredients:
4 sticks plus
2 tbsp of Butter
1 cup shredded Gruyere Cheese
1 Onion, finely chopped
½ tsp dried Thyme
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
Method of Preparation: Melt 2 tbsp butter over medium heat in a skillet. Add the chopped onion. Cook for about 15 minutes, until caramelized. Stir in the sauce. Remove from heat. Let cool. Place the butter in a mixing bowl. Whip with a mixer, until it becomes fluffy. Add the onions. Beat in cheese, thyme, and black pepper. Place two sheets of waxed paper on a flat surface. Divide the butter between the sheets. Roll into logs. Twist the ends of the papers so you can seal the butter logs. Refrigerate or freeze. Enjoy. * It will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator and 2-3 months in the freezer. * Cooking suggestion: Pork noodles.
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