Anchovy Butter Recipe
Anchovy Butter is one of many common variations on Maître d'Hôtel Butter or "compound butter," in which some sort of flavoring or seasoning ingredient is incorporated into to the butter.Typically compound butters are rolled into cylinders and chilled or even frozen, and then slices or pats are served on steaks, fish or vegetables.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb (4 sticks) unsalted butter
- 8-10 flat anchovy fillets, minced and mashed to a paste
Preparation:
- In a large bowl, mash the butter with a potato masher or just squish it up with your hands. You can even cream the butter using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer — but the goal is just to get the butter soft so you can incorporate the anchovies.
- Add the mashed anchovies and continue mashing/squishing/mixing until fully mixed.
- Spread out a large (1-foot or bigger) square of plastic wrap across your work surface, then scoop the mixed butter onto the plastic. You are now going to roll the butter into a cylinder inside the plastic wrap
- Tie the excess plastic wrap at the ends of the cylinder into a knot, or just use little pieces of string to tie off the ends. You can even make a string out of a short section of plastic wrap and rolling it into a little rope.
- Chill or freeze until needed.
- Add one or more of the following along with the mashed anchovies:
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice (juice from 1 lemon)
- 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp capers, drained and minced
