Covering the Spread

BY ROSE R. KENNEDY

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.

CURRY CREAM CHEESE SPREAD

Try this on wheat crackers along with fresh apple or pear slices.

1 tablespoon butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small tart apple with peel, washed and grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
Salt and cracked pepper, to taste

Cream together butter and cream cheese a small bowl. Heat oil on medium-high heat in a small saucepan; sauté apple and garlic in hot oil for 1 minute. Add curry powder and sauté for 1 minute. Add apple-curry mixture and cilantro to bowl of creamed ingredients, mixing well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours to allow flavors to blend. Bring to room temperature and stir before serving. Leftovers will last approximately 3 days in refrigerator.

ITALIAN STYLE DRIED TOMATO SPREAD

This is delicious on crusty bread slices, crostini or wheat crackers.

6 sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil (reserve 1 teaspoon of oil)
8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon balsamic or red wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, peeled, minced and mashed
1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons very finely minced fresh parsley, stems included
1 teaspoon very finely minced fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Finely chop sun-dried tomatoes; set aside. In a ceramic or glass bowl, mix together cream cheese and reserved oil. Add vinegar and mix with a hand mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add remaining ingredients and stir with spoon to combine. Allow flavors to develop by refrigerating for at least an hour or up to 36 hours. Bring to room temperature and stir before serving. Leftovers will keep for up to 3 days in refrigerator.

PINEAPPLE SAGE MUFFIN SPREAD

This slightly sweet, savory spread is a natural on fresh-baked muffins, toast or most crackers.

1 cup ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon milk
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, or more, to taste
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
4 fresh pineapple sage leaves, minced and rubbed between your fingers to release flavor, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained

In medium mixing bowl, cream ricotta cheese and milk on medium speed with a handheld mixer for 1 minute. Add confectioner’s sugar one tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition. Stir in cinnamon and pineapple sage. Refrigerate mixture for 1 hour. Stir mixture and gently fold in pineapple. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Transfer to serving bowl, garnish with more sage leaves if desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

HAROLD’S-MY-HERO HORSERADISH BAGEL SPREAD

Harold’s, the only Jewish-style deli in my hometown of Knoxville, Tenn., recently closed, but I still have fond memories of the red beet-horseradish spread set at every table and this bagel spread captures its essence. I enjoy the pungent flavor of horseradish, so adjust the seasonings to suit your tastes.

8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar
1/4 cup canned or cooked beets, mashed
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

In a mixing bowl, whip cream cheese and vinegar with a handheld mixer about 1 minute or until creamy. Gently fold in beets, black pepper and horseradish and stir until combined. Spoon mixture into a serving bowl and serve immediately. Leftovers will keep 3 days in the refrigerator.

LIGHT AND LIVELY LIMA BEAN DIP

This lima bean-based dip is a nice change of pace from the usual store-bought refrigerated chip and vegetable dips.

Two 10-ounce packages frozen baby
lima beans
1 medium onion, chopped
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 cups water
1 teaspoon dried cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced and mashed
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill or
1 teaspoon dried
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt to taste
1/4 cup minced red bell pepper, for garnish
1 lemon, cut into wedges

In a medium saucepan, simmer beans, onion, bouillon cube and lemon peel in water until beans are soft, about 8 minutes. Drain; return to pot and mash with potato masher. Add cumin, oregano, black pepper, garlic, dill, 3 tablespoons olive oil and sour cream, stirring to combine. Stir in lemon juice. Add salt to taste. Mound into a serving bowl and cool to room temperature. To serve, drizzle remaining teaspoon olive oil on top, sprinkle with minced bell pepper and place lemon wedges alongside. Dip keeps for 3 days covered and chilled.

PSEUDO TZATZIKI

My version of this traditional Middle Eastern yogurt dip trades the usual cucumbers for parsley and onion, resulting in a longer shelf life. It tastes great on plain, ridged potato chips, and it’s also a natural choice for veggies. For something different, try it with Toasted Pita Dunkers (recipe follows).

3 cups whole-milk yogurt, drained well
4 peeled cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup yellow onion, grated
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh mint
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh dill

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir to mix well. Refrigerate for at least an hour to allow flavors to blend. Place in a serving bowl and garnish with more fresh herbs, if desired. Dip will keep up to a week in the refrigerator; stir before serving leftovers.

TOASTED PITA DUNKERS

These simple pita chips go well with many kinds of dips.

1 tablespoon sea salt
1 teaspoon dried dill
Ground black pepper to taste
4 pitas, each cut into 8 wedges
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sea salt, dill and black pepper in an old spice jar with a shaker lid; set aside. Arrange pita wedges on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush top of each wedge with olive oil. Sprinkle spice mixture evenly over wedges. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until nicely toasted but not hard.

Regular Herb Companion contributor Rose R. Kennedy loves experimenting in her Knoxville, Tenn., kitchen with homegrown herbs.