My question for the new year… does butter matter? The answer YES! Definitely!
My favorite brand of butter is Kerrygold Butter. Taste Kerrygold next to your regular brand of butter and you can immediately taste the difference. Kerrygold butter is made from milk from grass-fed cows in Ireland. The grass is rich in beta-carotene which gives the butter its golden hue. It contains at least 82% butterfat which makes it rich and creamy.
I like to have a variety of flavored butters in my refrigerator and freezer. Flavored butters add a bit of fancifulness to breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Black Olive Peruvian Pepper Butter
Serve with crusty French or Italian bread.
Ingredients
- 10 oil-cured pitted black olives, minced
- 10 Sweety Drops Peruvian Peppers, cut in half, seeds removed, minced
- 1/2 cup Kerrygold Butter, softened
- Garnish: oil-cured black olive slices and Peruvian peppers
Instructions
- Place butter in a mixing bowl.
- Add black olives and peppers. Stir with a wooden spoon (use the back of the spoon to mash the olives and peppers into the butter) until all ingredients are well combined.
- Place butter on a piece of waxed paper. Roll the butter into a cylinder shape using the waxed paper to help mold the butter. Fold in ends of waxed paper to cover the butter. Place the butter cylinder wrapped in waxed paper into a plastic bag. Seal bag and place in freezer. Freeze for 3 hours or longer.
- To serve, take the butter out of the waxed paper and place on cutting board. Run blade of sharp knife until very hot tap water. Cut slices of butter from the cylinder and place on serving plate. Garnish with slices of black olives and Peruvian peppers cut in half and seeds removed.
Tarragon Butter
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Kerrygold butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves, finely minced
- Garnish: fresh tarragon leaves
Instructions
- Place butter and tarragon in a mixing bowl.
- Mix butter and tarragon with a wooden spoon, using the back of the spoon to mash the tarragon into the butter, until well combined.
- Place butter on a piece of waxed paper. Roll the butter into a cylinder shape using the waxed paper to help mold the butter. Fold in ends of waxed paper to cover the butter. Place the butter cylinder wrapped in waxed paper into a plastic bag. Seal bag and place in freezer. Freeze for 3 hours or longer.
- To serve, take the butter out of the waxed paper and place on cutting board. Run blade of sharp knife until very hot tap water. Cut slices of butter from the cylinder and place on serving plate. Garnish with individual fresh tarragon leaves.
Bacon Butter
Tasty spread to serve on crackers as an appetizer. This butter would be an excellent choice to spread on a butter board.
Ingredients
- 2 2.5 ounce packages pre-cooked bacon (microwave bacon until crisp), crumbled
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons Kerrygold butter, softened
- 1 ounce Hidden Valley Ranch dressing and dip mix
- 2 cups finely grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 bunch green onions, white part and some of green part, chopped fine
- 2 ounce jar pimientos, drained
- 1 tablespoon medium Peri-Peri sauce (or more if you like super spicy)
- Firehook sea salt crackers or your favorite flatbread crackers for serving
Instructions
- Place cream cheese and butter in mixing bowl.
- Add ranch dressing and dip mix to cream cheese mixture and stir to combine.
- Add cheddar cheese, green onions, bacon, pimientos and Peri-Peri sauce and mix until well combined.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with flatbread crackers.
Classic Herb Butter
Dill herb butter is delicious on grilled salmon. Basil herb butter is delicious on grilled steak. Or serve herb butter on crusty Italian or French bread.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound Kerrygold Butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon Sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- zest of one small lemon
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups mixed fresh herbs, finely chopped – dill, chives and parsley or basil, thyme and oregano
Instructions
- Place butter in mixing bowl. Mix with electric mixer for 2 minutes.
- Add salt and pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice and herbs. Mix with electric mixer an additional 2 minutes.
- Place herb butter in a serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate. Remove butter from refrigerator 10 minutes before serving.
