The Savory Addition That Gives You A Powerful Umami Compound Butter

One of the best things about a well-stocked kitchen is it encourages experimentation, particularly when enhancing and upgrading everyday ingredients or dishes. A squeeze of lemon will add zing to ordinary chicken noodle soup, for example. Similarly, mixing up inventive compound butters, like those found on the menu at nice steakhouses, is a simple way to add intense flavor, using ingredients already in your cupboard or refrigerator. A wide range of herbs, spices, fruits, and other ingredients easily blend into butter, offering both sweet and savory options. But to achieve a big umami flavor note, chop up some dried mushrooms.

Dried mushrooms — especially shiitake and other tasty varieties — can actually have a stronger umami flavor than their fresh counterparts. The process of heat-drying breaks down complex proteins into glutamate (an amino acid) which contributes to the fungus's earthy, savory depth. Blending in additional herbs and spices into a mushroom compound butter will yield a savory garnish that contributes rich complexity to grilled vegetables, pan-seared steak, or crusty bread. They also offer the advantage of a long shelf life, meaning you can have a bag of Onetang natural dried shiitakes or Mushroom House dried wood ear on hand any time you're hungry for fancy butter. Of course, fresh mushrooms work too, and fresh porcini are an excellent choice.

It's possible to use dried mushrooms straight out of the bag, but the bits may be a bit too chewy for butter. Rinse the caps, then soak in lukewarm water for 20 minutes. Focus on the caps as the stems may still be too chewy, and gently press out extra liquid between paper towels before mincing. For an even finer combination, pulse the mushrooms in a blender for a few seconds. Save the excess soaking liquid to make dashi stock.

Then it's just a matter of employing an easy formula for mixing up compound butter. You'll want about one tablespoon of mushrooms per stick of butter, along with any seasonings. Soften the butter, either by briefly zapping it in the microwave or leaving it out overnight at room temperature (don't melt it). Since mushrooms impart such a full, strong flavor note, consider seasoning them with a hint of paprika or chili powder, along with black pepper. Parsley may be too subtle. Or combine mushrooms with sautéed and cooled onions or gorgonzola for additional umami flavors. Combine everything using a fork, whisk, or a few pulses from a blender.

The beauty of compound butters is they freeze well. So, feel free to make up a large batch all at once, or experiment with different flavor combinations, wrapping and freezing any extra butter. When you're ready to use the butter, let it thaw on the counter until soft.