Compound Butter

Man there's nothing easier than creating a compound butter to impress your guests.  And as the temperature warms up (well, for some of us) it's a great treat with a good loaf of sourdough.

Today I whipped up some roasted garlic compound butters, and here's how.  First I took out 1 block of solid margarine, 1/2 a cup, and let it soften at room temperature.

Then I preheated my oven to 350*.  I cut the tops off of 3 garlic bulbs.  I put one in foil with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  The other two I put in foil with olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary!

Bake these in foil pouches for 30-40 minutes.

Take the garlic out of the oven and let it cool until you can touch the bulbs.  Then squeeze the cloves of garlic into the softened margarine (or butter) and use a fork to mash it all together!  I even added the oil from the foil into the butter to add a little extra zing!  Feel free to season the butter with a little extra salt and pepper.

I added extra rosemary to the rosemary/garlic butter (pictured on left).  Depending on the garlic you use, you might find the butter a little sweet!  The cloves are so mellow you can eat them straight out of the bulb!  Seriously!

Smother onto fresh artisan bread and go to town

What's best is there are SO many combinations you could create.  Off the top of my head; 

 lemon, chives/parsley and roasted garlic 

Sun dried tomato and roasted garlic 

capers, lemon and roasted garlic (ooh on fish!)

rosemary, parmesan, and roasted garlic

What combinations do you think would be yummy?