Today, I am sharing my simple, easy-to-make, recipe for Garlic and Onion Chive Butter. Considered a compound butter because it has flavor additions made to plain butter, this Garlic and Onion Chive Butter combines finely chopped onion chives and garlic cloves with softened butter. The tasty uses to which this divine butter can be put are limited only by your imagination.
I have large patches of chives and make good use of them all throughout the season. This divine compound butter is one of them.
For the Garlic and Onion Chive Butter, either salted or unsalted butter may be used in the recipe. If using unsalted butter, you may wish to add some fine sea salt, to taste. While I add very finely chopped garlic to this recipe, garlic salt could be substituted, in which case, I recommend using unsalted butter and not adding any salt, other than the garlic salt, to the recipe. If you decide to use garlic salt instead of freshly chopped garlic, I’d suggest starting with ¼ tsp of garlic salt and doing a taste test to see if you prefer more. As the old saying goes, you can always add more to taste but once it’s in the butter, you can’t take it out if you find you’ve added too much … and garlic is a taste!
Let the butter soften for an hour or more at room temperature. I do not recommend softening it in the microwave as it will change the properties of the butter.
Once softened, place the butter in a bowl and add the chopped chives and garlic and mix well. If you are making this butter when the chives are in full blossom, take 4-5 onion chive head blossoms (depending on their size) and separate the small individual blossoms on each head, chop them coarsely, and add them to the butter for extra flavor and subtle specks of color.
Once mixed, roll the compound butter in parchment paper or plastic wrap into a log about 1.5” – 1.75” (3.81cm – 4.45cm) or so in diameter. Twist the ends of the parchment paper or plastic wrap. To keep the butter in the round log shape, I like to use the cardboard tube from an empty roll of paper towel to give the log more support while it firms up in the refrigerator. Cut the tube open and place the butter log inside then secure the tube closed with a couple of pieces of tape.
Place the butter in the refrigerator to firm up then slice and serve as desired. Alternatively, the butter can be placed in small silicone molds (such as those in photo below), refrigerated, then popped out of the molds.
I recommend placing the butter in an airtight container as it contains chives and garlic which can quickly scent everything else in the refrigerator.
The butter will keep, in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for about a week or so. For longer storage, freeze in an airtight freezer container for up to three months. To store/freeze individual molded butter shapes, pop them out of the molds and freeze them between layers of waxed paper or parchment paper, again in an airtight freezer container.
There are so many uses for this flavorful butter. Here are some to try:
– Slather on baguette slices
– Dob on baked potato, new boiled potatoes, or roasted vegetables
– Use for sautéing seafood
– Place a slice on top of steak
– Spread on bagels
– Add it to rice
– Use for garlic bread
– Use to make scrambled eggs or omelettes
– Share as a hostess gift, perhaps along with a baguette
Garlic and Onion Chive Butter
Ingredients:
½ lb (225g) butter, softened at room temperature
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh onion chive stems
4-5 onion chive flower heads, blossoms separated and coarsely chopped (optional)
1-2 garlic cloves minced or very finely chopped (*See Note below)
Method:
Soften butter at room temperature for at least an hour or more. Do not soften butter in the microwave.
Finely chop tender onion chive stems. If using chive flower heads, separate the small individual blossoms from the heads and coarsely chop them. Mince or finely chop the garlic cloves.
In bowl, mix the chopped chives, blossoms (if using), and garlic with the soft butter. Mix well to combine. Using either parchment paper or plastic wrap, form the compound butter into a log shape, approximately 1.5” – 1.75” inches (3.81cm – 4.45cm) in diameter. Twist and secure ends of paper or plastic wrap (twist ties or bulldog clips work well).
To keep the round shape, you may find it beneficial to place the butter log inside a cardboard tube from an empty roll of paper towels. Cut tube open, place butter log inside, and secure cardboard tube shut with pieces of tape. Place in airtight container and refrigerate several hours until butter is hard. Remove log from packaging and cut into slices of desired thickness. Alternatively, the butter can be packed into small silicone molds, refrigerated, and popped out of molds when hardened.
Keep butter refrigerated until just before serving, allowing it to come to room temperature for spreading. Butter will keep, in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for approximately one week or so. For longer storage, store butter in an airtight freezer container in freezer for up to 3 months.
Yield: ½-pound compound butter
Note 1: If desired, garlic salt may be substituted for freshly chopped garlic, in which case, it is recommended to use unsalted butter and start with ¼ tsp garlic salt then do a taste test to see if more garlic flavor is desired.
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Garlic and Onion Chive Butter
Ingredients
- ½ lb (225g) butter, softened at room temperature
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh onion chive stems
- 4-5 onion chive flower heads, blossoms separated and coarsely chopped (optional)
- 1-2 garlic cloves minced or very finely chopped (*See Note below)
Instructions
- Soften butter at room temperature for at least an hour or more. Do not soften butter in the microwave.
- Finely chop tender onion chive stems. If using chive flower heads, separate the small individual blossoms from the heads and coarsely chop them. Mince or finely chop the garlic cloves.
- In bowl, mix the chopped chives, blossoms (if using), and garlic with the soft butter. Mix well to combine. Using either parchment paper or plastic wrap, form the compound butter into a log shape, approximately 1.5” – 1.75” inches (3.81cm – 4.45cm) in diameter. Twist and secure ends of paper or plastic wrap. To keep the round shape, you may find it beneficial to place butter log inside a cardboard tube from an empty roll of paper towels. Cut tube open, place butter log inside, and secure cardboard tube shut with pieces of tape. Place in airtight container and refrigerate several hours until butter is hard. Remove log from packaging and cut into slices of desired thickness. Alternatively, the butter can be packed into small silicone molds, refrigerated, and popped out of molds when hardened.
- Keep butter refrigerated until just before serving, allowing it to come to room temperature for spreading. Butter will keep, in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for approximately one week or so. For longer storage, store butter in an airtight freezer container in freezer for up to 3 months.
Recipe Notes
Yield: ½-pound compound butter
Note 1: If desired, garlic salt may be substituted for freshly chopped garlic, in which case, it is recommended to use unsalted butter and start with ¼ tsp garlic salt then do a taste test to see if more garlic flavor is desired.
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You may also enjoy this Chive Vinegar recipe from My Island Bistro Kitchen:
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