Makes a generous 1/2 cup

The range of pepper flavors means that just a little of this butter adds a lot of taste. It is simple and easy to prepare, and goes with practically any dish, vegetable or meat, cooked in almost any style, whether steamed, boiled, sautéed, baked, or grilled. We like it especially with fish, poultry, potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, beets, squash, and corn. Wrapped tightly, it will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week, in the freezer for a month. If you prefer not to use pink peppercorns, make a spicy butter with three peppercorns; replacing the teaspoon of pink peppercorns with equal amounts of green, white, and black.

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon each of pink, green, white, and black peppercorns
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh minced parsley

Soften the butter in a small mixing bowl. Grind the peppercorns in a mortar and pestle to a medium coarseness; they should not be finely ground, but they shouldn’t be too coarse either. Add them to the butter.

Mince the garlic or squeeze it through a garlic press and add to the butter along with the parsley. Blend all of the ingredients with a fork. Place the butter in a crock or small ramekin, cover with waxed paper or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour before using.

— Susan Belsinger and Carolyn Dille, respectively from Brookeville, Maryland, and San Jose, California, are innovative food developers and coauthors of such jewels as Herbs in the Kitchen (Loveland, Colorado: Interweave Press, 1992) and the spicy New Southwestern Cooking (New York: Macmillan, 1985).