2000s Recipes + Menus
Spiced Butter
Serves2
- Active Time:10 min
- Start to Finish:1 1/4 hr
February 2007
The labor is minimal: Soften the butter and mix in herbs and spices, then chill. But it pays off in so many ways — the butter provides a richness to the pan sauce for the filet mignon and an exotic finishing for the accompanying artichokes and haricots verts.
- 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
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Special equipment:
an electric coffee/spice grinder
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Finely grind coriander, cumin, and caraway seeds in grinder, then transfer to a small bowl. Add butter, cilantro, red-pepper flakes, salt, zest, and lemon juice and stir until combined well. Mound butter in center of a sheet of wax paper or plastic wrap. Using sheet as an aid, form into a 3 1/2-inch log. Chill, wrapped in wax paper, until firm, at least 1 hour.
Cooks' note: Butter can be chilled, wrapped well, up to 1 day.