Making your own compound butter is just plain fun. You can make the combination of sweet, heat, and herby your very own. And it’s likely that every time you do this, the results will be different.
These chile butters are oftem made with honey and lime juice. This version, something I created on the fly, uses neither. It’s just chili and garlic matrixed into the butter.
The morita chilies suggested here are smoked jalapeno peppers, but they are not quite chipotles. They are smoked for a shorter time and are therefore softer with fruiter accents. Being softer means that they are harder to grind up in your mortar and pestle. The arbol chilies are dry and fragile. They disintegrate quickly. The moritas put up a bit of a fight. You may find yourself with some pieces that just won’t break up. So, simply pick them up and discard them.
You can, of course, endlessly amend this recipe and you could add that honey. But I wanted a butter for a baked potato, not to adorn chicken or a steak. So, no honey here.
Do try the moritas to achieve a compound chili flavor. Everyone uses chipotles, so that flavor — while wonderful — can actually become a bit too common and a bit boring. Experiment.
With this butter, which does pack a flavor punch, you won’t be reaching for salt or pepper when you enjoy your baked and now chilied potato.
Brian’s Pure Chile and Garlic Butter
Yield: 9 tablespoons
Ingredients:
- 4 arbol chilies, dried and whole
- 2 morita chilies, dried and whole
- 1 tablespoon New Mexican red chili pepper flakes
- 2 large cloves of garlic
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
Preparation:
Put the arbol and morita chilies in a mortar and pestle and grind away until well fragmented. Transfer to a metal bowl.
Add the chili pepper flakes. Use a garlic press to process the two garlic cloves into the bowl.
Add the stick of butter. Using two forks, gently work the butter and chili/garlic components together until very well mixed. Your butter does need to be soft and you need to be patient.
If your potatoes are coming out of the oven, use the butter fresh out of the bowl. If you plan on using the butter later, place it in plastic wrap and, if you desire, shape into a log. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Source: Brian O’Rourke
Photo Information [top]: Canon T2i, 18-55mm Macro Lens, f/5 at 1/80th second, ISO-1000
Photo Information [bottom] : Canon T2i, 18-55mm Macro Lens, f/5 at 1/80th second, ISO-1000