Chive Blossom Compound Butter

One of my favorite and a simple ways to use fresh chives is to make chive blossom compound butter. I grow common chives with delicate purple blossoms, but yours may be white, pink or even crimson. Any variety can be used for this recipe. Compound butter can be used to add a delicate buttery onion flavor and splash of color to fresh-baked bread, savory biscuits, morning eggs, mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, or sprinkled on seafood or steak before serving. It can also be used as a base when making a rue or sautéing; it is a sweet and savory substitute for any recipe that calls for butter.

You Will Need
½ cup (115 g) butter, softened
2 tablespoons (30 ml) local honey
5 chive blossoms
5 tablespoons (71 g) chive, chopped
Himalayan sea salt to taste (start with ½ teaspoon [2 g])

Supplies
Metal or silicone molds, parchment paper, or small glass jars with lids
a bowl and spatula

Other savory herbs that would complement this recipe: 2 teaspoons (8 g) fresh chopped rosemary, 1 teaspoon (4 g) fresh chopped sage, 2 cloves fresh minced garlic, and/or 2 tablespoons (28 g) fresh nasturtium petals

To Make

1. Using kitchen shears, snip the chive leaves into small pieces until you have approximately five tablespoons (72 g).
2. Place your softened butter into a small bowl and add the chive leaves, blossoms, honey, and any other herbs you’d like to incorporate into the butter. Mix with your spatula until well combined.
3. Press the butter firmly into metal, wooden, or silicone molds, pushing in different directions to remove any air bubbles. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
4. Carefully remove the butter from the molds (a firm tap against the counter may be needed) and store in a mason jar with small pieces of parchment paper between them. If you plan to gift them with fresh bread, wrap them in brown parchment paper and secure with twine and a chive blossom. Alternatively, you can roll your compound butter into a log using parchment paper, twist the ends, and secure with twine or simply transfer the butter to a clean, dry canning jar with a lid.

Compound butter using fresh ingredients lasts a week in the refrigerator, especially if you added salt, or up to six months if wrapped tightly and frozen.

If you have more fresh chive blossoms left over, sprinkle them into your mashed potatoes before serving or top your salad with them for a beautiful pop of color and light onion flavor. They can be used as a substitute for any recipe that calls for fresh chives! You can also dry and store them in an air-tight glass jar for up to a year.

Handcrafted heirloom-quality wooden spatulas in imagery by Earlywood Designs. 

Note: When harvesting chive blossoms, I recommend cutting the entire stalk near the base. While the blossom stalk is too tough to eat, it can be used as a handle while cleaning your delicate blossoms and then snipped off and composted.