Everyone is aware of the magic of butter. The similarity in sound with the term ‘better’ exists for a reason. But what if we could enhance our store-bought butter to be even exceptional? Enhancing butter is simple. Allow it to soften at room temperature and then select an ingredient to combine. But what should you incorporate? That’s the tricky part! Garlic butter? A timeless favorite. Cinnamon sugar butter? Sweet delight. However, let’s think outside the usual boundaries. Prepare to explore your pantry, venture into a newfound aisle at the grocery store, and perhaps even rummage through the liquor cupboard. Or simply add water. (Yes, water. Stick with us.)
After blending your chosen ingredients, the possibilities expand. Maintain it soft and spreadable for immediate satisfaction, or create a compound butter to have readily available throughout the week. Just form your butter into a log using plastic wrap or parchment paper, twist the ends like a candy, and refrigerate. Once it’s firm, slice off a perfect portion to enhance nearly anything.
Would you like to craft blue cheese butter for that exquisite steak, citrus butter for delightful scones, or coffee butter for improved bagels? Butterly creative choices await, so get ready to share the joy — and the butter.
Paprika
Transform your butter with a zesty addition of paprika. Whether you enjoy the mild and peppery taste of sweet paprika or the heat of hot paprika, this simple butter provides an easy enhancement for your savory meals. Spread it on meat prior to grilling, mix it into rice, or elevate your corn on the cob. Additionally, if you like the classic sprinkle of paprika on deviled eggs, consider drizzling some melted paprika butter over fried eggs at breakfast.
To create paprika butter, mix 1 cup of softened butter (two sticks), 1 tablespoon of paprika, ½ teaspoon of coarse salt, and ¼ teaspoon of ground pepper. Stir it all together until fully combined, and you are all set to indulge! Experiment with this base paprika butter by adding alternative flavors — a bit of grated garlic and finely chopped rosemary make for a fantastic enhancement. Or really turn up the heat with a dash of hot sauce. Use paprika butter right away, or store it in the refrigerator, covered, for up to a week — you’ll find plenty of chances to relish this flexible condiment.
Dijon mustard
Indeed, ordinary store-bought butter is adequate for your warm dinner rolls and baked potatoes. But why be content with just adequate? With a single ingredient, you can transform adequate into exceptional. Simply blend 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard with ½ cup (one stick) of softened butter. Should you wish to add more ingredients, mustard pairs wonderfully with herbal flavors, so consider mixing in a tablespoon of chopped chives, parsley, or tarragon. And if you’re looking to brighten it up, add a teaspoon of lemon zest.
Keep this mustard butter soft and utilize it as a dip for pretzels or breadsticks. Spread it over bread prior to grilling your next cheese sandwich. Alternatively, wrap it in parchment or wax paper, roll it into a log, and refrigerate it for a few hours. Once firm, you’ll have a sliceable butter log ready for steaks, vegetables, pasta, and all your dishes yearning for a zesty mustard touch.
Citrus
With just a hint of lemon or lime zest, plain store-bought butter transforms into a vibrant delight. That small burst of citrus offers a refreshing kick to both sweet and savory dishes. Replace regular butter with lime butter in your favorite buttercream frosting recipe. Easily zest up a whole chicken with lemon compound butter. For savory dishes, lemon or lime butter serves as an excellent entryway into more intricate compound butters—adding a bit of zest promptly elevates the flavor of garlic and herb spreads.
But don’t allow lemon and lime to have all the excitement. Citrusy orange butter also complements beautifully both sweet and savory dishes. Enhance its orangey flavor with some juice and even a splash of orange liqueur. Here’s how: Combine ½ cup of room-temperature unsalted butter with the zest of one large navel orange and ¼ cup of sugar in a food processor. Whip it until it becomes fluffy. Gradually drizzle in ¼ cup orange juice and 1 ½ tablespoons of orange liqueur, mixing until the liquid disappears into buttery goodness. This orange butter is a perfect match for scones and melts over chicken into zesty divinity.
Can’t decide between orange, lemon, or lime? Use the zest from all three! That’s what imparts bold flavor to Mashed’s recipe for slow-baked salmon and citrus butter. But this trio of zest isn’t limited to fish — it brightens up vegetables and enhances baked goods such as blueberry or cranberry muffins.
Seaweed
Seaweed is frequently overlooked in numerous Western kitchens. It serves as a nutritional dynamo and a strong source of umami. Merging that umami flavor with butter yields a spread that can transform a slice of sourdough into something truly extraordinary. When preparing seaweed butter, dulse is an excellent choice. Referred to as the “bacon of the sea” (indeed, you read that right — dulse genuinely has a bacon-like flavor when prepared!), this reddish seaweed thrives along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. But there’s no need to put on your diving gear — dulse can be found at health food stores or purchased online.
To prepare seaweed butter, you’ll require 1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter at room temperature and approximately 1/3 cup of dulse. Spread the dulse on a baking tray and bake at 225 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes, until it becomes crispy. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes — the perfect opportunity to cut your butter into 1-inch cubes. Then, utilize your food processor to pulse the dulse into small bits. Incorporate the butter, and pulse together for around 30 seconds until thoroughly blended. You can use this spread immediately, or store it in the refrigerator for later use.
While generously applying this seaweed butter on sourdough until the bread is no longer visible is an entirely reasonable life choice, don’t stop there. It makes for an excellent alternative to traditional butter in any savory dish where you desire a boost of umami flavor — use it to sauté mushrooms, dollop it on grilled fish, or add it to soups for enhanced richness.
Image Source: Arina P Habich / Shutterstock
