A Little Green for Later

I went into the garden this morning with a small bowl and a very reasonable plan.

Parsley. Chives. Thyme. A little rosemary.

The rosemary required supervision. It has a habit of entering a recipe and immediately behaving as though the recipe was its idea.

Back in the kitchen, I left a stick of butter to soften while I washed the herbs. They looked especially alive against the work surface—bright, green, and entirely unconcerned with being useful.

Smokey watched from a chair.

He is always interested in cooking when it involves butter and no expectation of assistance.

I chopped the herbs finely, grated one small clove of garlic, and mixed everything into the softened butter with a little salt. The green flecks spread through it slowly at first, then all at once, until the whole bowl smelled like the garden had come indoors and made itself comfortable.

This is one of my favorite kinds of kitchen work.

Nothing boiling over.

Hands in patchwork sleeves mix chopped green herbs into softened butter in a small bowl while a gray tabby watches from a chair behind.

Nothing requiring a timer.

Just butter becoming more interesting.

I divided it into two portions. One stayed in a covered dish for dinner. The other went onto a piece of parchment, where I shaped it into a small log and wrapped it neatly for the freezer.

It was approximately four tablespoons of herb butter.

I considered labeling it Winter Provisions, but this seemed dishonest.

Still, later has butter now.

That feels sufficient.

The portion for today melted over warm potatoes at dinner. It would have been equally happy on bread, vegetables, or stirred through hot pasta. Herb butter is companionable that way. It does not need to know the entire plan.

The wrapped portion is waiting in the freezer for some future evening when dinner needs a little green and I do not feel like chopping anything.

I expect that version of me will be pleased.

Possibly even impressed.

A small parchment-wrapped log of green herb butter beside a dish holding another portion and scattered fresh herbs on a kitchen counter.

Garden Herb Butter

Ingredients

½ cup / 1 stick (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced
¼ teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
freshly ground black pepper, optional

Directions

Place the softened butter in a small bowl.

Add the parsley, chives, thyme, rosemary, garlic, and salt. Add a little black pepper if you like.

Mix until the herbs are evenly distributed through the butter. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Use some immediately on bread, warm potatoes, vegetables, pasta, or whatever ordinary thing has found its way onto your plate.

Keep the remaining butter covered in the refrigerator for 5–7 days.

To freeze it, shape the butter into a small log and wrap it in parchment or wax paper. You can also freeze it in individual spoonfuls. Once firm, place it in a freezer-safe container or bag and use within 2–3 months for the best quality.

I put mine away beside the other small frozen things I was apparently sensible enough to save.

There are not many.

But there is butter.

And now it has herbs in it.