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
-
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.