Compound Butter

 Started with about 1 stick of softened butter (unsalted), half a small shallot (minced), small handful of Sun-dried Tomato (minced), about the same amount of bacon ♥ slices> (minced), 2 TB Blue Cheese, 14 stalks of parsley (de-stemmed & minced), 4 stalks of Green Onion (sliced thins or minced) and salt/pepper to taste.

Compound Butter

(French: "Beurre composé")

Compound Butter's bring additional flavor and moisture (causing a pleasant, mouth feel and taste), they can be made fairly simple using butter and what ever flavors you wish.  Simplist of Compound Butters can be as simple as Butter, Garlic, Parsley, and Salt/Pepper to taste, this goes well when eating a lot of Italian type dishes and when making Garlic Bread!

Most people use Compound Butters on meats or to season vegetables, when using add at the time just before you take them off the heat source or when you are plating them up and they should always be room temp so that they melt.  (Do not want a cold piece of butter on your beautiful food! Unless you are serving something cold?)  The potential for different flavor combinations and concoctions is limitless, what are you serving?  Steak, Fish, Lamb, Pork, Asparagus, Green Beans (haricots verts), Baked Potato???

What will you use?  Butter (unsalted), Parsley, Garlic, Shallots, Onions, Ginger, Tomatoes, Wine, Cilantro, Basil... I think you get the picture!!!

This Compound Butter was just something I threw together in anticipation of a nicely grilled Rib Eye Steak!  It about tripled in size to a regular stick of butter.

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Mexican Gumbo w/Chicken

Mexican Gumbo w/ Chicken

By: Kelli Venezia & Skip Graden

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed of fat and diced (Grill Chicken for additional flavor, any other meats such as Steak, Chorizo, or season Ground Beef may be added or substituted)

3 cups frozen bell pepper and onion mix (about 10 ounces) (1 pkg Southwest Blend of Fajita Veggies) or Grilled/Roast Fresh

1 tablespoon ground cumin (less if desired, 1 teaspoon for mild, 2 for medium)

2 14-ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, preferably with green chiles
1 15-ounce can Black Beans drained

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons lime juice (prefer fresh Lime)

1 cup Instant Rice
1 cup V-8 Juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (add some just before boiling, reserve the rest for garnish)

3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
Sour Cream & Chips for garnish

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. (Unless you have previously Grilled the chicken and veggies) Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon.

Add pepper-onion mix and cumin to the pot, still complete this step if previously grilled roasted the veggies. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned, or if previously Grilled warmed through, about 4 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, black beans, pepper and lime juice; bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender, about 3 minutes more.

Return the chicken and any accumulated juice, add the rice & V-8 Juice, at this time to the pot and bring to a low boil then reduce heat to a simmer, stirring, until heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat; stir in cilantro. Garnish with Chips, Cheese, Cilantro, & Sour Cream.

EDIT 9/20/15: As I read this over after completion of becoming Certified Culinarian (actual chef), I am seeing some changes that I would use that I think may elevate a great soup. I would add a small dice of carrots and celery to the peppers and onions. (snd if threre is time to fire roast them before sauteing that would be optimal.) I may also add some minced jalapeno, maybe 1/2 of one? Dependant of how much heat you desire??? Lastly instead of rice, Quinoa could be used.  It adds to the protien punch as Quinoa has 8 of the 9 essential amino acids needed to consider it a perfect protien!