Recipe: About Herb Butters (and how to make them, 1980's)

ABOUT HERB BUTTERS (AND HOW TO MAKE THEM)

"One of the best ways to learn to use different herbs is to combine them with fats in the form of an herb butter. Fats, such as butter, margarine, or cooking oils, are good media for absorbing herb flavors for ready use.

Fresh, unsalted, "sweet" butter is the best choice because it readily absorbs the delicate herb flavor. But you can also use salted butter, margarine, pork drippings, and rendered chicken fat."

TO MAKE HERB BUTTER:
1 well-packed level tablespoon fresh, finely-cut green herbs (OR 1/2 teaspoon dried herbs*)
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) butter or margarine
Lemon juice (optional)

Mix the herbs with the butter or margarine.

Herb butter can be stored several days in small, covered jars in the refrigerator. If the butter is to be used for making sandwiches or for spreading on broiled or fried meats or fish, add a dash of lemon juice to the butter just before serving.

*Allow dried herbs to stand a few minutes with a little lemon juice before mixing with the butter.

VARIATIONS:
- Good combinations for herb butters are made with parsley or chives, singly, together, or in combination with one or more herbs.

- Herb butter can also be used with boiled, poached, or scrambled eggs. For a last minute herb butter for eggs, place the butter in a glass custard cup, add the fresh or dried herbs, salt and pepper to taste, then set in boiling water and let stand 10 to 15 minutes while the hot butter absorbs the flavors. Hot, boiled eggs may be broken into the hot custard cups over the melted, flavored butter, or pour butter over poached eggs on toast.

From: teapotluvr
Source: Huntingdon Daily News, June 4, 1987