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Bear's Garlic Herb Butter
You do not have to use bear's garlic for this garlic herb recipe if you cannot find it. Regular garlic will be fine too, although they look different. Bear's garlic, which is green and leafy, is called that because European brown bears love to eat it. Bear's garlic is a relative of the chive and it features in plenty of Central European recipes. Bear's garlic grows in wooded areas and swampy fields, in slightly acidic soil. It can be used in steamed dishes or salad recipes or used to flavor herb butter like the one in the following recipe. Garlic is a great ingredient for herb butter, whether you use bear's garlic or regular garlic, because its flavor goes well with the butter and any herbs you use.
Garlic herb butter is also brilliant with any vegetables and if you are making a grilled vegetables recipe and wondering about a marinade or sauce, why not make herb butter instead? You can make it in advance and also make extra because it freezes well. Herb butter will moisten your grilled veggies and give them a fantastic flavor at the same time and you can use any herbs you like. Chives and parsley are used in the following recipe, to complement the garlic.
It is easier to make garlic herb butter if you bring the butter to room temperature before you begin. Very cold butter is difficult to spread on bread without tearing the bread (we've all done that!) and pretty much impossible to mash with herbs unless it is soft. If it is still too hard, you can melt it for a few seconds in the microwave but only melt it until it is soft, not until it is liquid.
Garlic Herb Butter with Chives and Parsley
Ingredients -
8 oz butter
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh chives
2 cloves fresh garlic or 2 tablespoons chopped bear's garlic leaves
Salt and black pepper, to taste
½ teaspoon lemon juice
Preparation:
Let the butter soften for fifteen minutes.
Peel the garlic and squeeze it through a garlic press.
Keep mashing it with a fork until it is soft.
Chop the fresh herbs as finely as you can and stir them into the garlic.
Add the lemon juice and some black pepper.
If you are using unsalted butter, you will also need to add about ¼ teaspoon of salt.
Stir the herb mixture and butter together with a spatula.
Store the herb butter in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
It will keep for about 2 months.
(Serves 16)
A Word of CAUTION!
Warning: Consuming garlic-in-oil preparations have caused reported cases of botulism. It is important to add acid when creating these mixtures and to keep them refrigerated to retard bacterial growth. All forms of botulism can be fatal and should be considered medical emergencies
One must head the warning above when preparing these mixtures as to avoid the potential risk of serious illness when storing the spices and oil product mixture store in an oxygen-free container and always store properly, always refrigerate these mixtures and use within one week. Commercially produced versions of these mixtures use a mixture of salts and/or acids to reduce the risk of botulism in their products.
Photo Description:
Garlic herb butter is a wonderful accompaniment to your favorite grilled vegetable recipes. The perfect balance between the creamy butter, the fresh herbs, the aromatic garlic, and the sharpness of the lemon juice goes beautifully with any grilled vegetables. Dot some herb butter on the hot veggies and watch it melt slowly and coat the vegetables in gorgeous garlic and herb flavor. Herb butter is such an easy accompaniment to make and it can be made in advance and frozen so you will always have some handy to complement your favorite grilled vegetable dishes.
