Montpellier butter

Kieran Scott

This recipe by Jimmy Gerard, owner of Ponsonby's Jimmy the Fish is a flavoursome butter to be used before or after cooking fish fillets or steaks. Good too for poultry, lamb or beef. Any leftover butter can be frozen for later. See Jimmy's recie for baked turbot fillets here.

Ingredients

100 g	Watercress, fresh parsley, chervil, chives and tarragon
300 g	Spinach, leaves only
1 pinch	Cayenne pepper
500 g	Butter, softened
½ Tbsp	Capers, pressed to remove liquid and finely chopped
30 g	Gherkins, finely chopped
1 clove	Garlic, finely chopped
30 g	Shallots, finely chopped
3	Anchovy fillets, finely chopped

Directions

1. Blanch the herbs and spinach. Refresh in cold water and drain. Finely chop using a sharp knife (a food processor may be used but is not recommended).
2. Use a piece of muslin or an old, but clean, tea towel to squeeze out all the remaining moisture from the herbs and spinach.
3. Season with salt, pepper and a little cayenne.
4. Beat softened butter, incorporating the dry, squeezed spinach and herbs and all the other ingredients until well blended.
5. Roll butter into 5-6 cm cylinders in baking paper or doubled plastic food wrap. Refrigerate.