Even if you don’t grow your own veggies and herbs, spring is the best time to whip up a salad from all the peak-fresh fruits and veggies in stock at the market right now. From spring onions to asparagus and chard, you won’t find them fresher at any other time of the year. If you’ve already picked up a bunch and are searching for some tasty inspirations, we’ve got one for you that’s better than roasting or sauteing: make yourself a block of spring veggie compound butter.
It’s no more complicated than chopping up fresh chives, scallions, or whatever spring veggies you’ve got, then folding them into some softened butter. Add a pinch of salt or squeeze of lemon, and boom — you’ve got yourself a flavor-packed butter that we guarantee will make everything you add it to taste better. You can technically use it right away as a spread, but if you want a solid butter block, just chill in the fridge overnight until firm.
But the coolest thing about this trick is that you can use pretty much any spring vegetable you have on hand, with each bringing a different vibe to your butter. Scallions and chives can give you a nice and mild onion kick on top of the butter’s rich base. Then there are spring peas which, after blanching and pureeing, can be folded in for a sweeter-tasting compound butter. You’re guaranteed to love it if you like to experiment in the kitchen, as the only limit is the kind of veggie you can source!
Putting your spring-themed compound butter to use
The simplest way to have the first taste of your homemade spring veggie compound butter is by spreading some of it on top of a slice of sourdough or baguette. Between the bread (better if toasted!) and the cool, herb-flecked butter, you’ll have one heck of an appetizer. It’s also an amazing treat for guests that takes no more than five minutes to prep.
Going into the kitchen proper, this compound butter can work magic in boosting the flavor of proteins. Try dropping a coin of chive-garlic butter on a just-cooked piece of pan-seared steak. The residual heat will melt down the butter and coat the meat in a rich sauce. Chickens and other kinds of white meat can certainly be jazzed up with this compound butter, too. A little lemon herb butter (lemon zest plus rosemary, thyme, and sage), and suddenly, your reverse-sear chicken breast now tastes like it just came out of a restaurant’s kitchen.
Last but not least, don’t forget about veggies! A spoonful of leek butter on steamed asparagus or some ramp butter on roasted potatoes can take all these regular side dishes to a whole new level. Simple and quick, but when you begin putting this spring vegetable compound butter to work, you’ll be loving its flavor for days!
