If you want one small kitchen habit that makes weeknight meals taste restaurant-worthy, make compound butter. The idea couldn't be simpler: soften butter, mash in something flavorful, then roll it into a log, chill it and slice off coins whenever you need them. A pat melting over a hot steak, a piece of roasted fish or a bowl of noodles does a surprising amount of work with almost zero effort.
A few smart habits make it even better. Let the butter soften on the counter rather than in the microwave, which can leave it partly melted and greasy. Start with unsalted butter when your mix-ins are already salty, like miso or soy sauce, so the final result doesn't overwhelm. And for meat, add your slice while it rests so the butter slowly melts into the juices.
- Blue cheese and thyme with cracked black pepper, perfect on grilled steak.
- Miso butter, with a little grated ginger if you like, for salmon, vegetables or noodles.
- Soy butter spooned over rice or melted into sautéed mushrooms.
- Tahini, lemon zest, parsley and cilantro with a pinch of cayenne for roasted fish.
- Grated garlic and a mix of soft herbs for warm flatbread.
Wrapped tightly, a log keeps happily in the fridge for a couple of weeks and even longer in the freezer, so it's worth making a double batch. Try one savory flavor and one wild card each time you shop, and before long you'll have a little library of butters ready to rescue plain toast, simple grilled chicken or a humble baked potato.
