Give your Thanksgiving meal a little kiss of freshness with Scallion, Edible Flower, and Tarragon Butters!
Oh, Thanksgiving. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. You’re delicious, comforting, and you give me a chance to play in the kitchen with the excitement of knowing that the people I love are going to be gathered around a big table full of food.
My only beef with turkey day is that the color scheme is, well, brown.
Turkey, stuffing, gravy, brown, brown, brown! And even the green bean casserole is topped with fried (brown) onion rings.
There are some exceptions to the rule like cranberry sauce and roasted vegetables. But those dishes have a lot of heavy lifting to do in order to brighten up the color scheme. So, I decided to give them a hand this year.
This fall I started making colorful compound butters to hoard in the freezer for the big day. They freeze like a dream, and store well in an airtight container for a few months.
And if you haven’t played with them before, compound butters are simple to make and can add a colorful and delicious touch to anything from rolls to roasted vegetables or even as an addition to mashed potatoes. The three I made: Scallion Butter, Edible Flower Butter, and Tarragon Butter, were made with our early fall ingredients, but you should be able to find all of the ingredients in the grocery store. Each brings a unique taste and are delectable. (I’m just bummed that I didn’t have my act together enough to make some for holiday gifts, which was also my plan. But, hey. I got three in the freezer at least!)
1. Scallion Compound Butter
The scallion butter is a savory dream that pairs beautifully with steaks, roasted root veggies, and even steamed vegetables. The mild onion flavor of scallions blends harmoniously with creamy butter, adding brightness and depth to each bite. And this Thanksgiving they’re going in the cheddar mashed potatoes!
- Ingredients: Salted butter, fresh scallions (thinly sliced), lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
- How to Make: Let the butter soften at room temperature. Mix in chopped scallions, some lemon zest, a pinch of salt, and a dash of pepper. Roll into a log using parchment paper and refrigerate until firm.
- Serving Suggestions: Melt a slice over a grilled steak, dollop on baked potatoes, or spread on warm baguette slices.
2. Edible Flower Compound Butter
If you’re looking for visual flair and delicate flavor, edible flower butter is the perfect choice. Flowers like pansies, violets, corn flowers, and nasturtiums not only look beautiful but also lend subtle and peppery notes to butter. Edible flowers are the Willy Wonka of food. They look like they should be sweet but are a little spicy. And this holiday the floral butter is going to be at room temperature next to a sliced baguette and radishes in the living room for an appetizer. I’m pretty excited about that.
- Ingredients: Salted butter, a mix of pesticide-free edible flowers, a pinch of sea salt.
- How to Make: Gently wash and dry the flowers well. Soften the butter, then carefully fold in the petals and a pinch of salt. Shape into a disc or log and chill.
- Serving Suggestions: Use on savory or sweet scones, or melt a bit on steamed asparagus or green beans for a “wow” factor.
3. Tarragon Compound Butter
Tarragon is beloved in French cuisine for its slightly sweet, anise-like flavor. And, man, oh, man. Does it shine on roasted carrots! I keep stealing little bits from my roll in the freezer for a quick weeknight side dish. But, tarragon compound butter is also fantastic for chicken, and I keep thinking that it would be extremely cool melted into a warm vinaigrette on a green salad.
- Ingredients: Salted butter, fresh tarragon (finely chopped), lemon zest, salt.
- How to Make: Soften the butter and blend in tarragon, lemon zest, and a touch of salt. Roll in parchment and refrigerate until set.
- Serving Suggestions: Place a pat on grilled chicken breasts, stirred into scrambled eggs, or tossed with steamed or roasted vegetables.
Tips for Making and Storing Compound Butter
Always use good-quality, unsalted butter and fresh ingredients. Compound butters can be rolled into logs, wrapped in parchment, and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or in the freezer for up to three months.
So, in general – not just for Thanksgiving – try these three compound butters. They will literally make you exclaim (much like my mother does), “This is SO good!”
Butter Up Your Thanksgiving: Three Unique Compound Butters
Ingredients
Scallion Compound Butter
- 1 stick room temperature salted butter
- ½ cup roughly chopped scallions white and green part
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Edible Flower Compound Butter
- 1 stick room temperature salted butter
- ¾ cups edible flowers pansies, violets, corn flowers, nasturtiums, etc., divided
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Tarragon Compound Butter
- 1 stick room temperature salted butter
- ¼ cup roughly chopped tarragon
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Scallion Compound Butter
- Place all of the ingredients in a mini food processor and process until smooth. (Or, you can mix it all together with a fork in a large bowl.)
- Roll into a log using parchment paper. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Store in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 4 months.
Edible Flower Compound Butter
- Place ½ of the flowers and the remaining ingredients in a mini food processor and process until smooth. (Or, you can mix it all together with a fork in a large bowl.)
- Roll into a log using parchment paper. Top with remaining flowers. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. Store in an airtight container in the fridge fo up to 1 week. Store in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 4 months.
Tarragon Compound Butter
- Place all of the ingredients in a mini food processor and process until smooth. (Or, you can mix it all together with a fork in a large bowl.)
- Roll into a log using parchment paper. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Store in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 4 months.