Recipes: Homemade Butter and Buttermilk

Homemade Butter and Buttermilk

Makes about 16 ounces (2 cups) each of butter and buttermilk.

Note for recipes using homemade buttermilk: In recipes calling for homemade buttermilk, you may substitute each cup of homemade with a mixture of 1 cup of 1-percent milk and 2 tablespoons cultured buttermilk. From Daniel Patterson, the chef at Coi in San Francisco.

• 6 c. organic heavy cream

• Salt to taste, optional

Directions

Pour the cream into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk. Tightly cover the top of the bowl with plastic wrap and start mixer on medium-high speed. The cream will go through the whipped stage, thicken further and then change color from off-white to pale yellow; this will take at least 5 to 8 minutes.

Set a strainer over a bowl. Pour the contents of the mixer into the strainer and let the buttermilk drain through. Strain the buttermilk again, this time through a fine-mesh sieve set over a small bowl; set aside.

Keeping the butter in the strainer set over the first bowl, knead it to consolidate the remaining liquid and fat and expel the rest of the buttermilk. Knead until the texture is dense and creamy, about 5 minutes. Strain the excess liquid into the buttermilk. Refrigerate the buttermilk.

Mix salt into the butter, if you want. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.

Chilled English Pea-Mint Soup

Serves 4.

• 2 c. homemade buttermilk (see recipe at left)

• 4 c. shelled peas, plus more for garnish

• Salt

• 10 fresh mint leaves

• Freshly ground black pepper.

In a medium saucepan, bring the buttermilk to a simmer and add 4 cups of peas and a large pinch of salt. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes over medium heat, stirring often so that the buttermilk does not boil over. The peas should not be fully cooked and should still have a slight bite to them.

Transfer the peas and liquid immediately to a blender with the mint leaves and, starting on low speed, carefully blend (holding the lid on firmly with a dishcloth), working up to high speed for 60 seconds.

In order to preserve the vibrant color and flavor of the peas, the soup must be cooled immediately. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, then rest the bowl inside a larger bowl full of ice water. Stir continuously until cool, tasting occasionally; you will notice that the soup becomes sweeter as it cools. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper. Refrigerate until cold.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls and top with fresh peas and freshly ground black pepper.

Orange-Buttermilk Shakes

From Daniel Patterson.

• 2 c. orange juice

• 1 tbsp. sugar

• Large pinch salt

• 1 1/2 c. homemade buttermilk (see recipe at left)

In a shallow pan, combine orange juice, sugar and salt. Freeze, stirring occasionally with a fork, until frozen into a granita.