MYOB {make your own butter} butter recipes

BASIC BUTTER

Makes 11/2 cups (and 2 cups buttermilk).

• 2 pints heavy cream

• Salt (see Variations below), optional

Directions

Whip the cream with a mixer (standing or hand mixer) until stiffly whipped, stopping often to scrape down the sides. Keep whipping until the butter clumps and separates from the buttermilk. Stop the mixer and pour everything through a fine mesh sieve set over a mixing bowl, pressing on the butter to push out as much liquid as possible.

Turn the butter out onto a clean surface and form into a ball. Knead the butter as you would bread dough, squeezing out droplets of buttermilk. (Use a dough scraper if you like.) Cover the butter with a clean tea towel to mop up excess liquid. Remove, knead and repeat until no more buttermilk surfaces.

Variations

Lightly salted: Add rounded 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt during kneading.

Bread butter: Add 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt (such as fleur de sel) during kneading (add more for garnish).

Sweet carrot butter: Combine pinch of salt, 1 finely grated carrot and 3 tablespoons honey with 2 pints heavy cream. Macerate in the refrigerator for at least eight hours, or overnight. Strain the cream through a fine mesh strainer into a mixing bowl and proceed as for the Basic Butter.

Rosemary-Parmesan: Add 1/2 teaspoon minced rosemary, 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, and 1/8 teaspoon salt to the cream before whipping as recipe directs for Basic Butter.

Serves 4.

• 1 lb. strawberries, washed and trimmed

• 4 c. cold homemade buttermilk (from 2 batches of Basic Butter)

• 1/2 c. sugar

Directions

WHITE BUTTERMILK GAZPACHO

Serves 6.

Note: To blanch almonds, place them in a pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, cool slightly and drain, then squeeze the almonds between your thumb and forefinger. The skins will pop off.

• 3/4 c. whole blanched almonds (see Note for blanching almonds)

• 11/2 oz. country bread (11/2 -in.-thick slices)

• 1/2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary

• 1/2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste

• Small pinch cayenne pepper

• 2 c. homemade buttermilk (from 1 recipe of Basic Butter)

• 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar

• White grapes, cut into quarters, for garnish

Directions

Cover the blanched almonds with cold water and let soak for at least 30 minutes, or as long as overnight.

Tear the bread into chunks, cover with cold water, and soak until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain the bread and squeeze out excess water.

Dice the first 2 inches of cucumber finely and reserve for garnish. Put the remaining cucumber, almonds, bread, rosemary, salt and cayenne into the blender. Process on high, adding buttermilk gradually. Blend until very finely puréed. Taste for seasoning, and add the vinegar.