Covering the Spread

Image Gallery Most of the butter-based recipes will work just as well with margarine, as long as it’s not a reduced-fat or fat-free spread. PHOTOGRAPHS BY MATTHEW STALLBAUMER

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SILVER SPOON CREAM CHEESE BUTTER

This is the quick-and-easy spread that transforms ordinary hot, fresh bread into a divine treat. It's my interpretation of a blend served at a local franchise, hence the name. I prefer my favorite broadleaf garlic chives in this recipe, but any chive, or even minced shallots, are tasty, too.

2 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon dry white wine or lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

In a small ceramic or glass mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese and butter. Stir in wine or lemon juice. Add black pepper and cumin; stir until thoroughly combined. Fold in chives and parsley. Refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 2 weeks. Bring to room temperature before serving.

During a recent restaurant outing, I watched as my dinner guests and I consumed basket after basket of bread while ignoring the delicious entrees in front of us. It wasn’t the rather-ordinary bread that had mesmerized our tastebuds, however. Instead, we were delighted by the creamy, herb-accented, flavorful spread that had accompanied the endless baskets. Knowing the spread consisted of little more than a handful of chives, some butter and a bit of lemon juice, I took my inspiration from our meal and set out to create my own version of the spread at a fraction of the cost that the restaurant had charged.

The benefits of homemade herb butters, dips and spreads go beyond the budget. They’re a great opportunity to experiment with flavors of herbs without worrying about ruining expensive ingredients (many of the dips start with a base of butter, cream cheese or yogurt), and are a fine way to use up leftover herbs, dried or fresh. And for me, the chance to control the salt, spiciness and flavor concentration is particularly appealing. That said, try these recipes to get your creative juices flowing, then adjust, enhance or just plain create your own.

WHIPPED HONEY HERB BUTTER

This recipe combines two ideas from the Bread Lover’s Bread Machine Cookbook (Harvard Common Press, 2000) by Beth Hensperger: sweet herb honey and honeyed butter. This treat is particularly delicious on whole-wheat biscuits, but it satisfies the sweet tooth served on country loaves and corn bread, too.

1/4 cup mild honey, such as clover
1 tablespoon very finely minced fresh basil, rosemary, marjoram or lavender, or a mix
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

In a microwave-safe glass mixing bowl, heat honey in the microwave 45 seconds or just until warm. Stir in herbs, cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 24 hours. Skim the herbs from the top and discard. Bring honey to room temperature and whip for 1 minute with a handheld mixer set to medium speed. Add butter and mix 30 seconds more or until mixture is light and creamy. Store honey-butter in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Allow spread to come to room temperature before serving.

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