On the Table: Scallion Butter

A great (and really easy) way to add a gourmet touch to any meal is by using herb butter in place of plain butter.  It can be used simply with bread to accompany a meal, or it can be incorporated into dishes to really infuse them with flavor.  Today I made scallion butter, which I am planning to use as part of an appetizer.  You can use any kind of herb (or vegetable - I don't think scallions are technically an herb), depending on what flavors will best complement your meal, and you can combine herbs for a more complex flavor.  Fresh herbs are definitely the way to go in this case, but there is such an abundance of herbs available at this time of year that you shouldn't have any trouble getting fresh, quality product.  The herb butter will keep in the refrigerator, so you can prepare it and keep it on hand to spice up any meal.  To prepare the scallion butter:

Set out a stick of butter and allow it to come to room termperature (about 1.5 hours).  I used unsalted butter and added in butter on my own.

Once the butter is soft, prepare the scallions.

Clean the scallions and thinly slice the green tops.  I only used three of the scallions.  Save the white parts for another use.

Put the butter, scallions, and a dash of salt in a bowl.

Use a hand mixer to thoroughly combine the ingredients.

You could also use a small food processor to combine the ingredients.  Once the ingredients are combined, taste and adjust ingredients as needed.  Add additional scallions or salt if needed.

For a really nice presentation, shape the butter into a log.

Place a piece of plastic wrap on the counter, pile the butter into the middle of the plastic wrap, and roll up the plastic to form a loaf. 

Put the butter into the refrigerator to get firm.

And...that's it!  The butter is all set to liven up your next meal!

Enjoy!