Sometimes the simplest recipes can have the greatest impact on a meal.
Yesterday’s Sunday supper was a summer-style menu with my
baked farmers market pork chops (since we live in a downtown apartment, we don’t
have a grill), sliced tomatoes and corn on the cob, along with my husband’s
favorite birthday baked beans and potatoes roasted with the pork chops. However, I wanted to add a little pizzazz to
the meal, so I mixed up a compound butter to melt on the corn and potatoes.
Compound butters are so easy. Just allow a stick of butter
to soften and then mix in your favorite flavors. I chose fresh thyme, rosemary,
and black pepper. (Be careful to add more thyme than rosemary, since the
rosemary’s pungent flavor could overtake the thyme.) This made a tasty and versatile
butter that will taste great melting on top of just about anything—vegetables,
beef, pork, chicken, fish, etc. I even plan to test it out with scrambled eggs.
In our household, this butter passed the ultimate test: My
husband, The Picky Eater, declared it to be “good” and used it on all every ear
of corn he enjoyed! I did the same, plus I allowed the butter to melt over the
top of the roasted potatoes. (My husband used ketchup, of course.) I was
tempted to put some on my pork chop, but I managed to exercise a little restraint.
Herbed Butter
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh thyme1 teaspoon finely minced fresh rosemary
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Kosher salt, to taste
Place the butter into a small bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and, using the back of a spoon, mash the ingredients into the butter. Spoon the butter mixture onto a piece of waxed paper and shape into a small log. Roll up the butter into the paper, twist the ends to close, and refrigerated until the butter is firm.
