Rosemary and Roasted Red Pepper Butter

Butter. Really, is there anything better?

 

When I was growing up we always had margarine around our house, and I honestly can’t remember trying real butter until I had some at a friend’s house one day in high school. I remember I was terrified because his mom had left it out in a French butter bell and it was so soft and, well, buttery, but I thought it would be rotten from sitting at room temperature.

 

Clearly I was wrong and clearly that was a moment of divine intervention in my life.

 

I also remember the first time I’d ever had a compound butter, again in high school. I had decided that steak was gross and there was no way I’d ever eat red meat, and then my mom made this amazingly tender grilled steak with bleu cheese walnut butter and my brain basically exploded from the goodness. I can still remember that dinner as a turning point in my decidedly safe culinary palate. Shortly afterward I started devouring things like habañero peppers, homemade ketchups, all manner of street food, and actually trying my hand at cooking. Isn’t it amazing what butter can do?!

I made this butter specifically for the blog thinking it would be pretty and flavorful and fun, and then it almost didn’t make it to the photography stage because y’all? IT WAS SO DANG GOOD. We just toasted some baguette that we had laying around and spread this gorgeous butter on top. I sprinkled a little black pepper on mine, although I wouldn’t recommend adding it because the flavor can be really intrusive if you let it “marinate” in the butter. But so good. Have mercy.

 

I’m currently making a grocery list for the weekend and all (three) of the ingredients for this butter seem to have made their way onto it again. I’m envisioning tossing it with warm corn, green beans, and melting it on top of grilled salmon. And then always on bread. Because bread and butter = life.

 

I’m thinking this whole compound butter goodness needs to continue through the summer, don’t you? Amen and amen!

ROSEMARY AND ROASTED RED PEPPER BUTTER

Makes 1/2 cup butter

Ingredients:

• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) salted butter, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
• 1/3 cup finely chopped roasted red bell pepper

Directions:

1. In a large bowl whip the butter and rosemary until the butter is creamy and the rosemary is completely combined.
2. Add the chopped roasted red peppers and, using a spatula, fold it into the butter until completely combined.
3. Spread a piece of plastic wrap on the counter (about 12 inches long).
4. Spoon the butter in the middle of the plastic wrap so that it is approximately the same length as a stick of butter.
5. Fold the plastic wrap around the butter, carefully rolling into a log, and then tuck the ends underneath the butter.
6. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before using so that the butter is completely chilled.
7. Serve as desired!

***Note: my butter didn’t last more than a couple of days around our house, but I would estimate that it would keep in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.***