Infused Oil and Compound Butter
Here are two easy ways to add more flavor into your dishes. When you are pulling out all stops for the holidays, you’re gonna want an herby, versatile compound butter and a smoky, colorful oil to spice things up. Here are my recipes for parsley-chive butter and smoked paprika oil.
Ingredients
For the Smoked Paprika Oil:
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ tablespoon smoked paprika
Cheesecloth or coffee filter
For the Herby Compound Butter:
1 stick Kerrygold salted butter, at room temperature
1 pinch kosher salt
1 ½ tablespoons fresh, finely chopped flat leaf parsley
2 teaspoons fresh, finely chopped
Preparation
To make Smoked Paprika Oil:
1. In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over low heat. (Be careful to only warm the oil, not cook it!) Sprinkle in the smoked paprika and whisk to combine, then immediately remove the pan from the heat. Let sit for at least 20 minutes.
2. Using a coffee filter or very fine cheesecloth, strain the oil into a container. Let cool completely, cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
To make Herby Compound Butter:
1. In a large bowl, combine the softened butter and kosher salt. Add the chopped herbs and mix to thoroughly combine and incorporate the herbs.
2. Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on a clean work surface. Spoon the butter into the middle of the plastic wrap. Wrap the plastic around the butter and shape the butter into a log or roll (you can also form it into whatever shape you like!).
3. Transfer the wrapped compound butter to the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour before serving.
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