Compound and Whipped Butters

There are other ways to take advantage of butter’s semisolid consistency and background richness. One is to make a “compound butter” by incorporating pounded herbs, spices, shellfish eggs or livers, or other ingredients; another is to whip softened butter with a flavorful liquid into a combined emulsion and foam. Pieces or dollops of these flavored butters can then be melted into a rich, flavorful coating atop a piece of meat or fish, or on some vegetables or pasta, or they can be swirled into an otherwise finished sauce.