Herb Compound Butter

To my limited knowledge, herbs are separated into two categories: woody and tender. Woody herbs include rosemary, oregano, thyme as some of the big ones. In many climates, these herbs continue to thrive even in winter and develop a woody main stalk. For those of us who do not have the luxury of plucking fresh rosemary in December from our garden, we have to harvest when we can and keep it the best way we know how. Preserving woody herbs is pretty straightforward. Drying these herbs out increases flavor and can be happily used up when fresh greens are scarce.

Tender herbs will dry, but you really have to watch them to make certain they don’t mold. The best way I know of to preserve tender herbs like dill, chives, parsley and basil is to make a compound butter with them. Compound butter is not complex. It is simply tossing in either savory or sweet ingredients to softened butter and then whipping them. You can then use up right then and there on bread or for sauteeing vegetables.

A more rewarding option is to freeze the mix and rediscover in the depths of winter. Making a roux with an herb butter base with herbs picked at the height of their freshness and literally frozen in time…doesn’t get much better than that on a February eve.

HERB COMPOUND BUTTER

1/4 lb. butter (vegan or regular is just fine)

5 T. fresh tender herbs

1/4 t. lemon zest (optional)

Mix butter in a mixer with paddle attachment for a few seconds to just soften it. Add your prepared herbs and optional zest and whip to desired consistency. Place back in original butter wrapper, parchment paper or waxed paper. Put in the freezer and then try to remember it is there in the middle of winter when you need to bust out a batch of roux for that mid-winter mac and cheese. You know, to keep your winter weight on.