Gremolata Butter Recipes

GREMOLATA: A CLASSIC ITALIAN CONDIMENT

Steps:

• Serve as a garnish on meat or fish and enjoy.

GREEN BEANS GREMOLATA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans and blanch them for 2 to 3 minutes, until tender but still crisp. Drain the beans in a colander and immediately put them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and preserve their bright green color.
• For the gremolata, toss the garlic, lemon zest, parsley, parmesan, and pine nuts in a small bowl and set aside.
• When ready to serve, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Drain the beans and pat them dry. Add the beans to the pan and saute, turning frequently, for 2 minutes, until coated with olive oil and heated through. Off the heat, add the gremolata and toss well. Sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and serve hot.

ROAST CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES WITH GREMOLATA BUTTER

Steps:

• Thoroughly season the inside and outside of the chicken with Essence. Cover the bird and return to the refrigerator for 1 hour to marinate.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Place the chicken on the center column of an angel food cake pan with the legs touching the bottom of the pan. Place the cake pan on top of a pizza pan or other flat pan with a small rim to catch any fat or juices which might escape.
• Roast the chicken for 2 to 2 1/2 hours (depending on your oven) until it's a beautiful coppery brown. Meanwhile, cut the potatoes in half widthwise. Place flat side down and have your child cut the halves in half. Repeat so that each potato is cut into 8 wedges. Place in a casserole dish. Repeat the process with the onion. Add the baby carrots. Drizzle veggies with some olive oil and Essence and toss. Cover and place in the oven after the chicken has been cooking for 1 hour.
• When chicken is done, remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Gremolata Butter:
• Using a damp washcloth on the counter, set a large bowl on top of cloth to keep bowl from moving around. Place a grater inside the bowl (I use a rubber topped grater with rubber feet for safety). Have your child grate the zest of 2 lemons using the medium holes of the grater. Explain to them that you only want the yellow skin. Have them grate 4 or 5 strokes and turn the lemon. (No matter how careful they will be, some of the pith will get into the bowl. This is not a big deal! It won't ruin the taste. Besides, all you will taste is the love!) Clean off all the zest into the bowl and remove the grater. Next, take a garlic press and have your child press the garlic cloves into the bowl. There is no need to remove the skin from the garlic.
• Place the bunch of parsley on a cutting board. Using a mezzaluna or crescent knife with handles, help your child roughly chop the parsley. Gather the parsley up in a pile and turn the cutting board so they can continue chopping until it's finely chopped. Place the chopped parsley into the bowl. Add the room temperature butter. Mix well and set aside. If making gremolata butter ahead of time, refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Serve chicken and vegetables with a spoonful of gremolata butter on top.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly

ASPARAGUS WITH GREMOLATA BUTTER

Steps:

• Cook asparagus in large pot of boiling salted water until just crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain; rinse with cold water to cool quickly, and drain again. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Pat dry; wrap in paper towels, then plastic, and refrigerate.)
• Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add lemon peel and garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add asparagus and toss to coat. Sprinkle lemon juice over. Sauté until asparagus is heated through and coated with butter sauce, about 3 minutes. Season asparagus with salt and pepper. Transfer to platter. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

GREMOLATA

Steps:

• Using vegetable peeler, remove peel in long strips from lemon. Mince lemon peel. Transfer to small bowl. Mix in parsley and garlic. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

GREMOLATA BUTTER

Steps:

• Soften the butter at room temperature, or microwave for about 10 seconds. With a flexible spatula, mix in the flavor ingredients. Use the spatula to form the butter into a log on a piece of aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or waxed paper. Wrap the log and close tightly. Refrigerate or freeze.
• For the best flavor protection, place the wrapped butter log in a labeled and dated plastic storage bag. Well-wrapped Flavored Butters will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks and in the freezer for 6 months. To use frozen butter, unwrap and slice off as much as you need. It may crumble if cut immediately out of the freezer, but it will slice cleanly after a few minutes at room temperature.