Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Chive, Basil & Radish Butter


Just a quick post to share with you one of our favorite spring and summer toppings/spreads/oils/schmears/indulgences: chive butter.  I've extolled the virtues of sweet and spicy radish butter before.  I'll probably do it again.  

What I love most about it is that you can vary it endlessly.  This summer it's all about adding minced chives from the garden, along with whatever herbs are looking great in the garden at a given moment.  Today I ran out into the rain and snipped off a big leafy bunch of purple basil, so we got the one-two-three combo of chives, basil & radishes.  It doesn't take much to transform butter, which is pretty perfect on its own, into something transcendent.  

For this combo, I soften a stick of butter, then mince a handful of fresh chives, a few leaves of basil, and one or two radishes.  I then stir it all together, along with a sprinkling of sea salt, since my butter is unsalted.  You can add pepper, too, although the radishes from our garden are pretty peppery, so I didn't.

Then you've got a spread for sandwiches (I like it for cucumber sandwiches; Mr. Magpie likes it on turkey or roast beef) or crackers.  It's also gorgeous tossed with steamed veggies or rice, or added at the end of a saute for pasta.  In fact, you can toss just this in with some cooked pasta and some grated parmesan--heaven!  It's great for making omelets, too!  We keep a bowl of it in the fridge so we can use it whenever we want.

I so hope you'll enjoy this, my friends!  

7 comments:

  1. Yummmmyyyy! I must do this.
    But really, I'd much rather just be sitting in your cozy house on a rainy day and enjoying it with you. Smooch.

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    1. Oh, Miss M, it's been ages! We were just talking about you guys. Let's figure out a time for us all to get together soon!!! We want to hear every last detail about your travels and adventures. xoxo

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  2. Oh my! This does sound wonderful. I must try.

    Keri

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  3. Oooooo Gigi ..... that sounds delicious and, it looks so pretty too. Such a great thing to have in the fridge { and, my chives are thriving !!}
    Hope that you are both well and enjoying your pretty house and garden..... I'm sure that you are having the time of your lives......it's so exciting to have a new home and garden. Much love. XXXX

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  4. Oh my! This sounds delicious... will be trying this out this summer for sure!
    Hugs,
    Beth P

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  5. As good as this looked on Instagram it's better bigger.

    Yum.

    Just when I was weaning myself off butter.

    What was I thinking?

    xo jane

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  6. YUM! I've been spending a lot of time chilling and not doing much blogging. Till now. I wanted to tell you that I got the Linky going on my Things I Learned In June post. I am hoping you'll want to play along.

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