Sungold Tomato Butter – Slather on Everything!
A deeply flavored whipped butter combined with slow-roasted Sungold Cherry Tomatoes. The uses are endless!
Compound Butter ~ (“beurre composé” in French) is simply butter mixed with other ingredients that add sweet or savory flavor.
Summer little golden Sungold Tomatoes are one of the sweetest varieties.
Simply cut them in half and slow-cook in the oven over thyme branches.
Set the oven to a low 275 degrees – this will not heat up the kitchen much in the hot summer we are having!
Sungold Tomatoes:
Their flavor can’t be beat – exceptionally sweet, bright tangerine-orange Sungold cherry tomatoes are a Summer treat! They are not fully mature until, at the last minute, they become a beautiful pale apricot-orange color.
This cherry-type hybrid ~ ‘Sungold’ (sometimes spelled Sun Gold) consistently earns a place on lists of the best-tasting Tomatoes. They have a natural high sugar content with a super sweet, juicy flavor.
Recipe Overview:
Slow-roast halved tomatoes over thyme branches. Cook garlic so it has softened. Add butter to a small food processor – whip until light. Add all ingredients and whirl until smooth with some texture from the tomatoes.
Uses for Compound Butters:
- Slather on toasted bread.
- Add to warm fish just off the grill – will melt into a sauce.
- Enhances sautéed chicken; stir in and toss.
- Add to just cooked pasta, regular or gluten free – top with a shaving of your favorite cheese.
- Add to baked potatoes – or stir into mashed potatoes.
- Make a shrimp scampi with it.
- Stir into sautéed veggies.
- Make garlic bread – toast bread, rub raw garlic over, then tomato butter.
- Make compound butter: place the butter in parchment or waxed paper in a cylinder shape, refrigerate; cut and top on warm foods.
Did you know MOST BUTTERS CONTAIN “NATURAL FLAVORINGS” ??
Since the FDA does not regulate the word “natural” – “natural flavorings” seem to the consumer as wholesome… natural.
They are not!
I Have written about this a lot. These are chemicals, made in a laboratory, sold to food manufacturers to alter flavor. They are included to boost taste and add a proprietary flavor to the manufacturer’s product.
You might ask why is this so bad?
I do not want to eat chemically altered food. Period. I never eat a product with natural flavors. No manufacturers are transparent about the ‘Natural flavor” ingredients they are made with. Most likely include gmo’s, gluten and msg among countless allergens.
To show you – below is the ingredient list of the most popular butter sold in the U.S. – Land O Lakes. Most of us have never looked at this label!
Most national American brand I have checked includes Natural Flavoring!
Kerrygold butter from Ireland is excellent, so is France’s President butter, both without natural favoring.
Plugrá “European-style butter” contains natural flavoring. Keller’s Creamery was the only exception.
Also look for Local or Organic labeled butters and check the labels!
Land O Lakes Ingredients: SWEET CREAM, NATURAL FLAVORING
The “butter maiden” — a Native American woman with a feather in her hair no longer appears on the packaging – replaced with a body of water. Native Americans do not want to be mascots or logos.
What to do?
Use a high quality butter without natural flavoring.
I have chosen Vermont Creamery Cultured Butter (sold at my local Acme supermarket) for this recipe – or source out Organic Butter which is readily available in most supermarkets.
Remember to read labels!!
(Thanks in advance for reading my rant!)
Scallops with Sungold Butter:
1 pound Sea Scallops; serves 4 – 6
Remove the small side muscle from each, rinse with cool water, pat dry. Add to a plate, season with salt & pepper on both sides (sprinkle with a little Kashmiri chili if desired.)
Heat a stick proof or cast iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, raise heat to medium-high.
Add scallops, do not move -turn over when dark golden underneath.
Turn over with tongs; turn the heat down to medium and cook until golden and cooked throughout, about 4 minutes total; 2 minutes each side (will depend on the size of your scallops.)
Top each with a dollop of Sungold Butter. Top with a Sungold tomato half and thyme leaves if desired. Lovely too over a serving of parmesan risotto.
Enjoy this recipe… and your Summer!
Karen
Sungold Tomato Butter – Slather on Everything!
Ingredients
- 1 cup Sungold tomatoes washed, dried and cut in half
- 2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil PLUS 2 T. (for cooking the garlic)
- 4 whole fresh thyme branches
- 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt divided
- 2 teaspoons softened garlic (method below)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature* (please see below)
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Add a sheet of parchment paper to medium sized rimmed baking pan. Add thyme branches – top with tomatoes, cut side up. Drizzle all over with olive oil. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
- Slow-cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour – this will depend on the size of your tomatoes. Look for: tomatoes that has shrunken, are condensed with only a drop of golden color around the edges… no more!
- Make the Softened Garlic: Add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to your smallest skillet (mine is 6″) Add 1 large or 2 medium sized garlic cloves – sliced 1/8 inch thick. Heat over the lowest heat and cook until softened – yet NOT golden, about 5 minutes. Set aside. Love garlic? You can double this amount if desired.
- Add the softened butter to the small food processor (mine is a 4 cup one.) Pulse a few times to whip. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down, repeat. Add the remaining ingredients – the cooked tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon of thyme from the pan (removed from a branch), 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, the cooked garlic (not the oil) and 1/4 teaspoon of the remaining salt. Save the oil; great for salad dressing.
- Blend until mostly smooth with small pieces of chopped tomatoes. The butter is ready to use! If you feel it is too soft, place in a small bowl and refrigerate a few minutes.
- *I have chosen Vermont Creamery Cultured Butter (sold at my local Acme supermarket) – or source out Organic Butter which is readily available in most supermarkets. I DO NOT use butter with “natural flavorings” – in ALL commercial butters.
- Store in a clean glass storage container in the refrigerator. Best used softened. Will stay fresh about 3 weeks. Can also freeze.
- To make a Compound Butter Log: Cut a piece of waxed paper or parchment paper about an 8″ square. Add the butter to center, fold over the paper rolling into a tight log, twist the edges and refrigerate until very firm. When ready to use, slice a piece and add to warm foods… the butter will beautifully melt in.
Notes
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