Chive Blossom Butter

Rich, creamy butter infused with a gentle onion sweetness from the blossoms, a clean green note from the parsley, and sea salt that makes all of it taste brighter.Brilliant over grilled fish, spring vegetables, or just perfect on it's own on crusty bread!

Prep15

Cook

Total2 45

Servings serving

DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

15 g chive flowers washed and dried
115 gr salted butter
2 tbsp parsley or chive stems
salt and black pepper

Equipment

Instructions

Prep the chive flowers

Wash the flowers gently under cold water and pat completely dry with a tea towel. Any moisture will make the butter weep. Set about 5 whole flowers aside for decoration. Pull the petals off the rest, discarding the green stems and any tired-looking bits.

Soften the butter

Take the butter out about an hour ahead so it's soft and spreadable but not melting. If you've forgotten, cut it into small cubes to speed it up. Don't microwave it.

Mix the butter

Put the soft butter in a bowl. Add the flower petals, the chopped parsley or chive stems, and a good grind of black pepper. Mix well with a fork or heat-resistant spatula until evenly distributed. It'll turn slightly purple-pink, which is normal.

Shape the log

Lay out a piece of cling film (dampen the surface underneath to hold it in place). Spoon the butter into a rough line down the centre, fold the film over, and roll into a log about 2.5cm thick. Twist the ends like a cracker to seal. The tighter you roll, the neater the slices.

Chill until firm

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until completely firm. Or use it straight away if you're not decorating.

Apply the decorative flowers (optional)

Unwrap the log and let it sit for 2 minutes so the outside softens slightly. Break the reserved flowers into 2 to 3 sections and press them gently into the surface, spacing them evenly. Rewrap, roll gently to help them stick, and chill another 30 minutes.

Slice and serve

Unwrap and cut into rounds with a sharp knife. For clean slices, run the knife under hot water and dry it between cuts. Serve straight away, or keep the slices chilled until needed.

Notes

Best uses: grilled white fish (sea bass, sole, halibut), boiled or roasted new potatoes, steamed asparagus, crusty bread, or a plain omelette. The trick is food where you taste the butter melt. It's wasted in mash or rice.
Keeps about 2 weeks in the fridge. The flowers fade to a softer mauve over time but are still fine to eat.
Freezes for up to 3 months. Slice first, freeze the rounds on parchment, then bag them. The colour fades a bit more after freezing, but the taste holds.
Bone-dry flowers are the key to longer storage. Any moisture speeds up spoilage, so dry them properly before mixing.

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