Do you enjoy the mild sweet of taste of basil? What about the warm earthy flavor of sage or the piney fragrance of rosemary? Many of these herbs are used for the flavor they lend to foods but also their aroma. Thyme is wonderful with fish, eggs and in soups and oregano with pasta sauce or Mediterranean dishes, parsley brightens potatoes and adds a clean bitterness to salad dressing, the list goes on and on.
Growing your own herbs is a wonderful way to liven up your meals, not to mention the positive effect they can have on your overall health when used regularly, but perhaps the most rewarding aspect of growing herbs is the satisfaction of being able to run outside to harvest the freshest leaves of your favorite herbs just before you prepare dinner. Herbs also grow well indoors in sunny locations. If I haven't convinced you to grow a collection of your favorite herbs yet you will be excited to learn that many herbs are perennials (dependent on climate somewhat) so you get the benefits of year round availability with little plant maintenance. What could possible be better than that? So what are you waiting for? Get your herb garden planted today.
You can pair thyme and oregano for a classic flavor that is great for cooked meat or sage and rosemary melted over roasted winter squash, carrots and beets or basil and chives to drizzle a delicate peppery bite on popcorn but if your like me and you just can't get enough of herbs, then you can combine any and all!
This herb butter is a simple and sure way to add complexity to any cooked meal but can also be used as a spread if you don't mind the texture and flavor of woodsy herbs. Due to the addition of more delicate herbs being parsley, basil and chives, this butter is best used when cooked lightly.
For the recipe:
Ingredients
1 lb softened unsalted butter
Herbs of your choice (as little or as much as you would like)
Instructions
1. Chop herbs and combine with butter in a bowl.
2. Mix herbs and butter with a spatula or with a mixer.
We used oregano, thyme, basil, parsley, sage and chives for this batch. Other herbs that would pair well with this recipe are tarragon, rosemary and cilantro.
Wallah! Instantaneous flavor packed butter.
We freeze this herb butter in half pint size mason jars, we have found this stores well for 6 months or longer.
Another idea for storing is to line a cookie sheet with waxed paper, place dollops of the herb butter, and then freeze for more convenience during cooking.
Enjoy!
