MAKING THE MOST OF IT

This situation happens all the time: experiment with a new recipe, it calls for fresh herbs, and you purchase a packet (they are expensive) and you end up only using a tablespoon of the stuff. Then you're left with tablespoon after tablespoon of excess and no where to put it! I mean, sprinkling herbs over salad or adding a pinch here and there will only get you so far. What can you do with an excess of herbs?

This was the precise culinary conundrum I found myself in after making a Tuscan Bean Soup (see post: SOUP FOR SPRING). I had plenty of fresh Sage & Rosemary sitting in my refrigerator. And recently, I have been monitoring my monthly expenses, so I was determined to maximize all of my purchases.

So...I made an Herb Butter! This way, I could save the herby spread in the fridge and enjoy it with many loaves of bread to come. Economic & Gourmet-sounding (and tasting)! Perfect! The uses of herb butters are endless I'm sure, you can do the obvious, like spread them on toast to add a fancy touch to any breakfast or sandwich, or you can use them to spread over fresh fish before you grill. I'm still thinking of other ways to use it! Anyone else have any suggestions?

The great thing about making butters, is that there are infinite possibilities! You can make butters with Shallots, or Garlic, or sweet butters like Strawberry Butter or Cinnamon & Brown Sugar. This is my first time making any kind of a spread, so the more I make, the more I can share! Here is the recipe for Rosemary/Sage Butter Spread. Also note that I mixed in EVOO to the Butter to A) make the sauting of herbs easier & B) to make the once cooled concoction easier to spread right out of the fridge!

ROSEMARY & SAGE BUTTER SPREAD

1 stick of butter
4 to 6 circles of EVOO in the pan
3 to 4 springs of Rosemary, Chopped
8 to 12 leaves of Sage, Chopped

• In your non-stick pan, heat 4 to 6 circle of EVOO on low heat.
• Add chopped herbs and lightly saute them for about 3 minutes
• Add stick of butter, cut the stick into a few pieces to help the melting process.
• After the butter melts, continue to saute lightly over low heat for about a minute or so, to incorporate.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO USE TOO MUCH HEAT! You don't want to burn the butter
• Use right away or place in a covered container and refrigerate for later use.