Herb butter is made by combining softened butter with various herbs. Basil, thyme, rosemary, and parsley are used in a lot of herb butter recipes, although sage, tarragon, marjoram, and oregano can also be used. Actually, you can use pretty much any herb. Herb butter can be rolled up into a sausage shape in a piece of plastic wrap and it can also be piped into rosette shapes. Herb butter freezes well and you can serve it with meat, fish or vegetables. You can also add it to sauce recipes. Be creative when making herb butter, even if you are new to making recipes like this, because it is difficult to get it wrong. Most herbs go together nicely and if you are making a basic grilled fresh vegetables recipe, for example, you can let pretty much any type of herb butter melt over the veggies and it will give them a beautiful taste.
The following recipe makes a delicious marjoram butter, which is wonderful with grilled vegetable recipes. Marjoram is in the mint family and it is also known as wintersweet or "joy of the mountains" in some areas. This herb grows wild in the Mediterranean area and ninety percent of the world's supply comes from Egypt. The leaves, flowers, and seeds of the marjoram plant can be used to make medicines and body care products, as well as to flavor recipes.
There is some confusion between oregano and marjoram because they are similar in looks and flavor. Actually, you can use oregano in the following herb butter flavor if you cannot find marjoram. Marjoram is milder than oregano and a bit sweeter. It is used frequently in English cooking, especially in dishes featuring chestnuts or goose. It is also used to make German sausages and the French "herbes de Prevence" mixture. Marjoram is used in Greek and Italian meat dishes and sauce recipes.
Ingredients -
½ stick unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh marjoram
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
Preparation:
Let the butter come to room temperature, so it is easier to work with.
Mash it with the lemon juice, lemon peel, marjoram, salt, and pepper in a bowl, and then transfer it to a sheet of plastic wrap.
Wrap the herb butter up into a sausage shape and chill it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it.
(Serves 4)
Photo Description:
You can see from this picture of marjoram how similar it looks to oregano, although it does have a slightly different flavor. If you also like oregano, you could use it to make this herb butter recipe or you could use part marjoram and part oregano if you want to. Marjoram features in various meat and vegetable dishes so herb butter made with this tasty herb is also suitable for these recipes. A fine herb butter recipe such as marjoram butter is a sophisticated addition to many kinds of grilled vegetables and it is so easy to make. You can either make it in advance or freeze it, to save time later.