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Fines Herbes Butter

By James Beard

Ingredients

1 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup each packed stemmed spinach and watercress leaves
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh chervil, tarragon, basil, dill, thyme, or sorrel (either a single herb or in any combination)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1 cup (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter

Preparation

  1. Chop together 1 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, 1/4 cup each packed stemmed spinach and watercress leaves, and 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh chives. Add a tablespoon of chopped fresh chervil, tarragon, basil, dill, thyme, or sorrel (either a single herb or in any combination) and chop again to blend the flavors. Put in a bowl and mix in 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon anchovy paste. Add 1 cup (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter until the herbs have been thoroughly blended and the butter is completely green. [Editor: Melt a tablespoon of this butter on top of grilled lamb chops or fish, or stir into plain cooked vegetables.]

From The Essential James Beard Cookbook: 450 Recipes That Shaped the Tradition of American Cooking by James Beard. Copyright © 2012 by Reed College and John Ferrone. Published by St. Martin's Press.
TagsCondimentFrenchEuropeanParsleyHerbs & SpicesSpinachLeafy GreensVegetableChiveWatercressGluten FreeVegetarianNut FreeEasyMake AheadNo-CookCookbooks

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