Listen to the Story – Great Host/Hostess Gifts with Krayl Funch
“This herb butter recipe requires little more than a pair of fine garden scissors, fresh picked herbs from the garden, a stick of butter, a touch of salt and a few moments spent in the kitchen to allow you to enjoy the bright flavors of summer through the shortest of winter months. A version of it also appears in the Summer section of my book An Appealing Plan : A Year of Everyday Celebrations.
While herbs are not specifically limited to growing during the summer months, it is in the peak of August when many of the first season herbs must be harvested to preserve their most intense flavors. Basil plants are at their tallest, brightest green and so bursting with flavor that simply walking by and slightly rubbing their leaves, releases their potent oils into the air – suddenly creating an intense craving for a caprese salad for a lunch on the patio; delicate Taragon’s leaves cry to be picked before the full heat of the August sun is upon them; Oregano is just days away from blooming, going to seed and losing it’s intense aroma. So I give you permission to clip and cut away at the fruits of your labor, bring those fresh herbs in the kitchen for this simple herb butter recipe.
Start with unsalted butter so you can to control the amount of salt right from the start and know how much to add when seasoning.”
Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (basil, parsley, thyme, rosemary, oregano – choose one or mix and match)
½ teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
Method
In a medium bowl, allow stick of butter to soften to room temperature.
Once the butter is soft, blend in ingredients.
Transfer the flavored butter to a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap, form the butter into a log and wrap it well. Alternatively, you can spread butter into molds, silicone ice cube trays work well!
Chill overnight or 2 hours minimum before serving.
Recipe reprinted with permission from Krayl Funch of “anappealingplan.com,” copyright 2015.