Add All The Flavors Of Caesar Dressing To Butter For An Unforgettable Dip Or Spread

If you're new to the wild and wonderful world of compound butter, you've got a delicious journey ahead of you. Compound butters are ridiculously easy to make; in fact, you can build your own compound butter with one easy formula (two tablespoons of seasoning for every one stick of butter). They're quick and simple, but best of all, you can customize them to your heart's content and use them in a versatile array of ways. Whether you want a dip, spread, sandwich dressing, or more, compound butters have your back. And if you're a fan of a good Caesar salad, then we have a treat for you in this compound butter that uses all of the unforgettable flavors of a good Caesar dressing.

To make Caesar dressing compound butter, you'll need a few key ingredients: anchovies, lemon, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and Dijon mustard. These are most of the key ingredients to a good Caesar dressing that give it its distinct taste. Most Caesar dressings are also made with some combination of mayonnaise and oil, which you don't need in this recipe because that's where the butter comes in. When incorporating your ingredients, you can melt your butter down and add your ingredients, but add delicate items like Parmesan off the heat to prevent them from breaking down. If melting seems like too much effort, you can also simply use a very soft butter and mix all of your ingredients in while it's at room temperature, whisking until everything comes together. From there, you can store your butter for up to four or so days in the fridge.

As mentioned, one of the best parts about compound butter is that you can change around the ingredients however you like. For example, some Caesar dressings use Worcestershire sauce, which adds more brine and an umami flavor without you needing to go out and buy anchovy paste or whole anchovies if you don't already have them on hand. Using shelf-stable ingredients like powdered garlic and leaving out the cheese makes your compound butter last longer, too, so you could keep it on hand for a couple of weeks instead of a few days.

As for what you can use this on, don't be afraid to get creative. Compound butter is the simple secret that brings more flavor to corn on the cob, it's great for pan-searing fish, and you can also use it to upgrade your steak. Caesar dressing brings a good umami saltiness to any meat you add it to, and that includes when you spread it on some thick, crusty bread and make a delicious sandwich with deli meats and your favorite veggies (like some crisp romaine lettuce, fresh tomatoes, and deli sliced chicken). Dip pretzel sticks or breadsticks into your butter for a rich and warm treat, and enjoy it alongside other charcuterie board staples like nuts, cheeses, and olives. This butter is such a breeze to make that you'll surely have it on hand often to do some creative food experimenting.