"Kicking it up a notch"

OH GOD do I hate that phrase. But I'm using it because it's apt for what I'm writing about today: a group of lovely things that we call "compound butters." What are "compound butters?" Simply put, they are butters with "stuff" in them, that you use as butters nonetheless. I will confess that I have never had too much patience for them, but last year, I started using a really neat one: nasturtium butter. In the early spring, when all of the greens are just a bit "biting," like dandelion, and other early, bitter or sour greens, the first nasturtiums come out. Traditionally, what you do with these butters is let them soften, and then blend the additive to them. For nasturtium butter, you simply stir up some soft butter with a good handful of nasturtium leaves, let it harden again, and then put it over something hot, so it melts down. The theory is that it's not quite the same as putting the additives, and the butter, on the hot food. The flavors are supposed to mingle, and add something that wasn't there before.

Well, with the nasturtium butter, I'm not buying it. But I like the color of the nasturtium FLOWERS in the butter, so what I do is mix those, and then add some chopped leaves with the butter. But that's for the spring. For now, when all of us are looking for the first asparagus, the first warm spring breeze, the first buds on the tree, the compound butters are a little sturdier, and lustier with their flavors.

The one I made recently is sundried tomato and walnut butter. And the strangest thing happened. A day after I made it, we saw it on the menu of one of our favorite menus, served on lamb chops.

I had made it to put on lamb chops, and then decided it would be much better on our starch, which I think was couscous. And know what? I would NOT mind having it on a piece of toast. It's a good thing to have around. And it's such a snap. Here it comes.

You need two sticks of unsalted butter, at room temperature. You also need a cup of sundried tomatoes, the soft ones, (from oil or soaking), that you chop up. This doesn't take long. And you also need about a half cup of walnuts, toasted if you have the time. Finally, a good squeeze of lemon is nice to have as are a few leaves of parsley.

Put this all in your food processor, and pulse. If you use the simple "on" switch, you risk separating the liquid from the solid and making a mess. By pulsing, you never give up control (a very big thing with me, if you haven't figured it out yet). Then, take that nasty blade out of the machine, scoop the butter out. "Accidentally" get some on your fingers so you have to lick them clean. Then get some more on them. When you've finished, stuff it all in a container, and then refrigerate it, and use it as you see fit.

Know where this would be good? Go read 'STUFF IT' Freeze some of the butter, and put the frozen stuff inside the chicken breasts, and proceed. You'll love it.

Have any good ideas how to use it? C'mon , this is about SHARING.