Butter Up Your Vegetables

This is the time of year I really miss my garden. The only local grown signs up at our favorite grocers are for root veggies and a few wrinkly skinned apples. The last squash from our backyard fall harvest is long gone. There are no more homegrown veggies in my freezer. There are California and South America stickers all over the produce aisle.

There is a way to flavor up those long distance cousins to our own local grown broccoli, green beans and asparagus. It doesn’t much matter if you stir fry, steam or microwave your veggies, whether they are purchased from the produce aisle or the frozen foods section. Add a pat of this yummy orange garlic butter to any plain cooked vegetables and you’ll add a flavor lift to get you through ‘til growing season.

ORANGE GARLIC BUTTER
1 four ounce stick of salted butter or margarine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

Leave butter out until soft and whip until fluffy. Fold in remaining ingredients; mold into a rectangular log: wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. It’ll last for four to six weeks. Just before serving, scoop or cut about 1 tablespoon of garlic orange infused butter and let it melt on top of two cups of any cooked veggie. Toss and serve.

For an extra taste boost; drizzle the veggies with a tablespoon of Grand Marnier or other orange favored liqueur before tossing with melted orange garlic butter. Anther suggestion: add a pat of this butter to a plain piece of fish or chicken after baking, steaming or grilling.

Comments

  1. TinkyFebruary 21, 2010 at 9:49 PM

    I like the orange zest--nice touch!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Best Wishes, MarieMarch 1, 2010 at 8:39 PM

    not sure how i missed this posting. it is nice to add a little side flare to veggies. a sprinkle of brown sugar, blue cheese crumbles, etc.... the citrus is very nice. thanks for the idea.

    i had to work at my office for a few days due to a I.T. problem. before i left, i took a little cooler. there were some chips and cake and things that i partook of during my time there, but for the most part, i had good food, and it made all the difference !!

    and i thought of you.

    ReplyDelete

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