Recipie: Buerre Maître d'Hôtel

This is a classic, must have, for anyone who wants to grill or roast or broil just about anything. It will add a delicious citrus herb finish to everything from mushrooms to broccoli to shellfish. You can keep it in the freezer for months, slicing off as much as you need per meal. Trust me, it's great to keep on hand.

Background
Buerre Maître d'Hôtel (Buerre Maître D') is a classic french invention. The Maître D' is the master of the hotel or restaurant, assigned with making sure everything goes smoothly, getting people seated, etc... Did a Maître D' first make this butter up to sooth disgruntled patrons, unhappy with their hangar steak? I have no idea, but I do know that any bistro worth its salt in Paris has a great one, ready to slap onto your steak as it rests. Ummm, butter, on top of steak? Isn't that the French acting all stereotypical and making my food too rich? Dairy fat on meat fat? Gross. Oh, wait, cheeseburgers...

Do I smell cheesesteak?

Butter (fat) is a great way to finish grilled meats. It adds a depth of flavor that is subtle, yet delicious. Take note, Peter Lugers finishes every single steak with a big old pat of butter (fat). Authentic Bistecca alla Fiorentina is finished with olive oil (fat) and lemon. Authentic steak frites is finished with, well you get the picture.

Gastroliaison's Buerre Maître D'

So what you are doing is mixing parsley, garlic (or shallot for a nice, mild twist), lemon and ground pepper into softened butter. It takes a little patience, but is well worth the effort, and keeps for a few months in your freezer. A garlic press really comes in handy here. Note- If you freeze it, make sure you cut off the slabs you need ahead of time, so they can thaw.

Use unsalted butter, that way you can judge your salt easier because the butter won't add any to the dish. Since fat is such a good conductor of flavor for spices, adding the black pepper to the butter gives a really fresh pepper flavor. This is especially true of grilled meats, where the high heat of the grill actually diminishes the punch of the pepper.

Red wine/beer/any cocktail is optional equipment...

Ingredients

• 1/4 a small bunch of parsley
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 stick of unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 lemon (the juice only)
• About 8 twists on the grinder of black pepper
  

Equipment

• Garlic press
• Knife & Board
• Mixing bowl
• Flat wood spoon
• Parchment paper or plastic wrap
  

Here is a tip for getting the skin off your cloves easy-










Cut the top and bottom off the clove









Smash it with the side of your knife









Done.









Preparation

1. Crush skinned garlic in a press.
2. Chop parsley fairly fine.
3. Juice the lemon.
4. Cut the butter into small cubes (it makes the stirring easier).
5. Combine in a bowl with the pepper too (pictured below is waaaaay to much parsley)
6. Stir. It takes a while, but that lemon juice will incorporate! Again, I used too much parsley here.
7. Lay it out on parchment paper
8. Roll it up into a little log, and twist the ends. then stick it in the fridge or freezer. I won't ask how you got good at that...

Try roasting clams with this, or fish in a packet with a splash of wine, put it on some asparagus, or on a portobello mushroom cap as it grills. Melt it for your lobster, stuff snails with it, spread it on a hot baguette, stuff it under the skin of a chicken before you roast it. The possibilities are endless.

This concludes Gastroliaison's recipe for Buerre Maître d'Hôtel