perfect with roast chicken: lemon, herb and garlic butter

lemon, herb and garlic butter

I have mentioned before how good compound butters are at giving a bit of oomph with minimal effort to whatever you are cooking. One of my favourites is a buttery mash of herbs such as parsley and basil with lemon zest. 

I use this herby butter most often to flavour a roast chicken, by shoving the butter between the skin and flesh of the uncooked bird - an oddly satisfying process as you carefully pull the taut skin away from the uncooked flesh (or perhaps that is just me!)

chicken roasted with lemon, herb and garlic butter

Any leftover butter is often stuffed into the chicken cavity. Either that or I save it to spread in sandwiches or as a topping for cooked vegetables such as carrots.

See what I mean? It really is that simple.

Skill level: Easy

ingredients:
75g butter, at room temp
1 garlic clove, very finely chopped
zest of one lemon, finely chopped
a small handful of fresh flat leaf parsley and basil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

directions:

1. Cream all the ingredients together. Season to taste, then chill.