Added Touches: Maitre d' Butter (Steak Butter)

Every now and then, you just have to say... what the heck; let's splurge and have a steak tonight!  Now, steak is a great dinner, and when one can find a great steak -- say a filet mignon -- at bargain prices (like I did the other day when I saw 6-oz. Black Angus filets at $4.50 each), then I say take advantage of it.  So I bought two filets for Saturday night grilling.  However, there are a few details to make note of to ensure a really special dinner; after all, it's the little things that count.  And one of the little things that I learned from my mentor on the left coast was how to make Maitre d' Butter... otherwise known as "steak butter".  It is incredibly easy to make and adds a nice touch -- not to mention the excellent flavor -- to any steak.  Prep time is minimal, and once prepared, the butter will last quite a long time in the fridge; it can even be frozen!

shopping list:

• 1 stick sweet cream, salted butter  $0.47 (I found a  pound of butter at Aldi the other day for $1.89)
• 2 medium/large-sized shallots, diced  ~$0.50 (a tablespoon or so of sweet onion can be used)
• 1 Tablespoon washed and chopped parsley (please see below) I can't even estimate the cost of the parsley, since I grow it in my garden -- but it's really cheap, even if you have to buy some at the store...
• Splash of Worcestershire sauce
• Dash of garlic powder
• Pinch of salt
• Skosh white pepper (preferably freshly ground)
• ~ 1 /2 - 1 oz dry white wine (I use dry vermouth)

Approximate total cost of the recipe: ~ $1.00 and can easily provide butter for at least a dozen or more steaks... That's an inexpensive add-on for a distinctive meal!

The only really important thing about this recipe is to make sure that you wash and thoroughly wring out the parsley before adding it to the butter.  If you don't, any remaining green color will bleed into the butter and make it quite unappealing...  We used to use a cloth napkin, but I would suggest using an old cotton towel that you can afford to abuse. 

Form a pocket in the middle of the towel and place the parsley in it.  Rinse repeatedly in cold water and squeeze/wring out the towel until all of the green color has stopped coming out of it.  (It will take all of five minutes or so, and one might think that the parsley would have no more color... but it is still bright green!)  Finely chop the parsley and set aside.

To a stick of softened butter, add the diced shallots, parsley, wine/vermouth, salt, pepper, garlic powder and Worcestershire and, with a fork or whisk, mash the ingredients together.  Using a spatula, turn the butter onto a sheet of wax paper and roll into a Lincoln Log-sized roll -- perhaps a half-inch to an inch (max) in diameter.  Refrigerate until the butter again hardens.

When the steaks are done and as they are "resting" prior to serving, slice a 1/4 inch thick piece of the butter, place it atop the steak and serve.  The flavor it adds is amazing, and the cost is minimal.   

 
Ralph Pancetta
reviews@ralphpancetta.com