Delicious flavoured butters for every dish

We all know garlic butter, for tasting great on everything from toast to seafood. But you can also make wonderful butters flavoured with many other herbs. Whether on crusty bread or to accompany vegetables or barbecued meat, they're sure to delight your palate.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Serving Size: 250 grams (9 ounces) butter

• 250 g (2 ¼ sticks) softened butter
• 15 g (1 tbsp) fresh sage leaves, chopped
• 45 g (3 tbsp) fresh parsley leaves, chopped
• 10 medium green olives, de-pitted
• 2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped

1. In a bowl, mix the softened butter with all ingredients until smooth.
2. Put it all on plastic wrap about 20 centimetres (eight inches) long. Form a roll about five centimetres (two inches) in diameter and wrap them carefully in the film. Refrigerate until needed.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 2 minutes

Serving size: 250 grams (9 ounces) butter

• 40 g (1.5 oz) macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
• 250 g (2 1/4 sticks) softened butter
• 15 g (1 tbsp) chilli powder
• 45g (3 tbsp) fresh coriander leaves, coarsely chopped
• 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) grated lime zest
• 1 red pepper, finely diced
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) lime juice

1. Grill macadamia nuts over medium heat until golden. Let them cool.
2. In a bowl, mix the butter and nuts and add the other ingredients. Mix until a smooth paste.
3. Place the mixture on plastic wrap about 20 centimetres (eight inches) long. Form a roll about five centimetres (two inches) in diameter and wrap them in the film before placing in the refrigerator.

• All butters are prepared the same way, but there are infinite ways you can change them up with fresh or dried herbs, dried tomatoes, chopped nuts, mustard, wine, lemon or lime juice.
• Rolled into a sausage shape and wrapped in plastic wrap, they keep one month in the freezer or five days in the refrigerator.
• Let them soften slightly at room temperature before cutting into slices. You can also halve the quantities provided here.

Parsley and lemon butter

• Mix 250 grams (2 1/4 sticks) butter, softened with 45 millilitres (three tablespoons) chopped fresh parsley, 10 millilitres (two teaspoons) grated lemon zest, 15 millilitres (one tablespoon) lemon juice, salt and ground black pepper.

Blue butter with herbs

• Mix 250 grams (2 1/4 sticks) softened butter and 125 grams (4.5 ounces) crumbled blue cheese. Add 15 millilitres (one tablespoon) each of chives, mint and dill. Complete with 15 millilitres (one tablespoon) white wine.

Horseradish and mustard butter

• Mix 250 grams (2 1/4 sticks) softened butter, 30 millilitres (two tablespoons) horseradish cream, 15 millilitres (one tablespoon) Dijon mustard and 30 millilitres (two tablespoons) chopped fresh parsley.

Ginger and spice butter

• Mix 25 grams (one ounce) butter, softened with 10 millilitres (two tablespoons) grated fresh ginger, five millilitres (one teaspoon) sweet pepper powder and 15 millilitres (one tablespoon) of Worcestershire sauce.

These flavoured butter recipes will delight the whole table. Serve them as an appetizer with baguette and your guests will be grateful.