Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Aromatics
- 2 g coriander seeds, whole
- 15 g fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 serrano chile, finely minced
- 10 g fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 2 garlic, minced
Base
- 115 g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 15 ml fish sauce
- 2 g flaky sea salt, crushed
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Toast the coriander seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until highly fragrant and slightly darkened, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and crush into a fine powder.
Pound the minced garlic, ginger, and serrano chile in a mortar and pestle until it forms a rough paste. If you do not have a mortar and pestle, mince them together as finely as possible on a cutting board.
In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, aromatic paste, chopped cilantro, toasted ground coriander, fish sauce, and salt. Fold and mash together until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
Scrape the butter mixture onto the center of a sheet of parchment paper. Fold the paper over the butter and roll it away from you to form a tight cylinder. Twist the ends of the parchment like a candy wrapper to secure the shape.
Place the butter log in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour, or until fully firm, before slicing and melting over hot sweet corn.
Chef's Notes
- Tender cilantro stems actually pack more flavor and crunch than the leaves. Be sure to chop the upper stems finely and include them in the butter.
- Fish sauce acts as an umami backbone here. While it might sound unusual for butter, it powerfully enhances the natural sweetness of summer corn.
- Do not skip toasting the whole coriander seeds. Pre-ground coriander lacks the floral, citrusy volatile oils that are awakened by heat.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Wrap tightly in parchment paper or plastic wrap to prevent absorbing fridge odors.
Freezer: 3 months — Slice into individual coins before freezing for convenient portioning.
