A savoury compound butter fit for the elven gardens of Middle Earth, this chive blossom butter captures the fleeting flavours of spring in a fragrant spread. If you love seasonal compound butters and pantry provisions inspired by Middle Earth, you will also enjoy our Garlic Scape Butter from the Hobbit Pantry series and our Cheddar, Green Onion and Yogurt Scones, a perfect pairing for a spring spread.
At a Glance: Chive Blossom Butter
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: ~10 minutes
- Servings: 16 servings
- Flavour: Pungent, oniony aroma, hint of salt
- Skill Level: Easy
- Why this Works: This fragrant compound butter captures the balance of freshness of spring and the elegance of Elven cuisine.
The Pantries of Middle Earth
When spring arrives in Middle Earth, the fields, orchards and gardens begin to yield their bounty. From the blooming gardens of the elves to the lush hedgerows of the Shire, from the root cellars of the dwarves to the scavenged stores of the orcs, the ripe harvest is ready for preservation. In the flowering orchards of Gondor and windswept fields of Rohan, the peoples of Middle Earth busy themselves with preserving the harvest. Step into the well-stocked pantries of Middle Earth to sample the plentiful stores and carefully preserved goods to enjoy the bounty of spring and summer all year round.
An Elven Pantry
In the lush valley of Rivendell and the golden woods of Lothlórien, the enchanted gardens of the elves are overflowing with fresh produce. The tender shoots and delicate flowers of spring are expertly preserved in this savoury compound butter for use in the months to come. For a few brief weeks in spring fresh chive blossoms are in bloom. They offer a slightly milder though still pungent oniony flavour than their green stalks. Both the stalks and blossoms are blended into softened butter with a pinch of salt to make a delicious compound butter that perfectly compliments our cheddar, green onion, and yogurt scones. Stored in the freezer, you can enjoy the fresh spring flavours of this chive blossom butter well into the summer and fall.
Ingredients for Chive Blossom Butter
Chive blossoms: The tiny, pink blossoms of flowering chives bloom in late spring and impart a delicate oniony garlic flavour. Be sure that you only use chive blossoms that have not been sprayed with pesticides. Another great way to preserve chive blossoms is in vinegar, such as in our chive blossom salad. If chive blossoms aren’t available, you can use an equal amount of fresh chopped chives.
Chives: Finely diced chives add a punch of oniony flavour to this butter as well as a gorgeous green colour.
Butter: You can use either salted or unsalted butter in this recipe. If using unsalted, you may want to add more kosher salt.
Kosher salt: I prefer adding a bit of kosher salt to the chive blossom butter, however, you can certainly omit the salt if you prefer.
Other Compound Butter Flavours
Compound butters are a quick and easy way to add complex flavours and aromas to any dish. Whether used as a spread or added as a simple finishing sauce, both sweet and savoury compound butters are an excellent way to preserve the delicate flavours of the season for the months ahead. Here are a few other flavour combinations you can try instead.
- Garlic scape butter – Garlic scapes are a late spring delicacy, plucked from the bulb as they begin to flower. Their mild garlic flavour adds a punch of fresh flavour to any savoury dish and is particularly delicious blended into creamy butter. Garlic scape butter is the perfect topping for a grilled steak or brushed over warm potato herb rolls. Our garlic scape butter is featured in our hobbit pantry e-cookbook along with other spring and summer preserves.
- Black garlic butter – Black garlic is garlic that has been slowly fermented at a warm temperature until it turns dark brown or black in colour, has a soft, chewy texture, and a sweet taste. Blended into butter, it makes a delicious savoury slightly sweet spread, perfect with our black beer onion bread.
- Honey orange butter – Honey sweetened butter gets a punch of bright, citrusy flavour in this decadent sweet compound butter, perfect spread over a slice of our sweet cardamom bread.
- Whipped honey browned butter – Browning the butter first adds a nutty, slightly caramelized flavour while honey adds a touch of sweetness. After browning, the melted butter is whipped until light and fluffy – the ideal topping for our brown butter rolls.
How to Make Chive Blossom Butter
1. Gather the chive blossoms
Pick and gently wash the chive blossom heads. Spread them on a tea towel and allow to air dry. Pluck the blossoms from the flower head. Wash, dry, and finely chop fresh chives.
2. Blend the butter
Transfer the softened butter to a mixing bowl. Use a spatula to blend the kosher salt into the butter. Add the chive blossoms and chopped fresh chives. Blend together until well combined.
3. Shape the butter
To store the butter, you can either transfer it to a jar or shape it into a cylinder. To shape the butter into a cylinder, place a large piece of cling film on the counter. Scoop the butter onto the cling film and shape into a rough cylinder. To garnish, sprinkle with more chives and chive blossoms and roll gently to coat the outside of the butter. Roll up tightly in the cling film to form a log. Twist the ends to form an even cylinder.
4. Serve the Chive Blossom Butter
If shaping the chive blossom butter into a cylinder, you will want to chill it before slicing so that it will retain its shape. The flavour will get stronger as the butter sits. Enjoy!
Storage Tips
Chive blossom butter should not be stored at room temperature. You can store it either in the fridge for several weeks or for up to 6 months in the freezer.
More Pantry Recipes from Middle Earth
- Spiced Rhubarb Jam
- Raspberry Lavender Jelly
- Pickled Mustard Seeds
- Wild Mushroom Seasoning Salt
- Spiced Apple Butter
