Of the infinite ways you can add ingredients to butter to create compound butters, Maître d'Hôtel butter is arguably the most widely known and used. Originating, of course, in classical French cooking, it gets its name from the fact that it was often prepared and served at the table by a restaurant's maître d'hôtel (or head waiter).
It's incredibly simple – the most basic form is just butter, salt, lemon and parsley – but when added to almost any food it envelops it in a rich, zingy, fragrant sauce that makes pretty much everything taste better.
The butter itself is often prepared and then frozen into a log, to be sliced as and when it's needed. A little puck of the butter placed on top of a sizzling steak will gently melt over the meat, but it's just as delicious when placed on top of fish, potatoes, vegetables and eggs. It's the perfect little thing to have on standby in the freezer, ready to go whenever you are.
FAQs
Beurre maître d'hôtel is a savory butter prepared by mixing softened butter with very finely minced parsley, lemon juice, salt and pepper. A ratio of around 1.5 tablespoons of parsley to two ounces of butter may be used. Additional ingredients may include shallot and Worcestershire sauce.
What is compound butter in French? ›
Compound butters (beurre composé in French) are simply made of butter mixed with different ingredients to add flavor to meats, similar to a sauce.
What is a maitre d'hotel in English? ›
maître d'hôtel in British English
1. a head waiter or steward. 2. the manager or owner of a hotel.
What is a maitre d'hotel in cooking? ›
What is the Maître d'hôtel. The Restaurant Manager/Supervisor can often be referred to as the Maître d'hôtel or Maître d' for short. They have the overall responsibility for the running and organisation of the restaurant. They can also be responsible for the administration work in this area also.
What is the mixture of beurre manie? ›
Beurre Manié (French for “kneaded butter”) is made by mixing equals parts of softened butter and flour. This dough or paste is used to thicken sauces, soups and stews. Note that plant-based butter can also be used to make beurre manié—you may just have to use a bit more flour (3:2).
Why use beurre manie instead of Roux? ›
The main purpose of a beurre manie is to thicken the consistency of a sauce or soup at the end of cooking, as opposed to the beginning like with a roux. This means that small and precise adjustments can be made, whereas roux is harder to modify once the liquid has been incorporated.
What makes French butter different? ›
French butter also has a higher fat content. This is France, after all! While most countries use about 80% butterfat in their butter, French law requires at least 82% butterfat. It might not sound like much, but this 2% difference actually has a a huge impact on texture and taste.
Why do the French use so much butter? ›
Butter is a signature ingredient for many recipes, but never has it figured more prominently than in French cuisine. From baked goods to savory items, butter is thought to add depth and dimension, making everything it coats more spectacular. While French food relies on butter, many diets, especially vegan ones, do not.
What does Doux mean in French butter? ›
Types of butter (🇫🇷les types de beurre): Le beurre doux: unsalted butter → literally: soft butter. 'Doux' can also mean soft, gentle, sweet or mild.
Why do Americans say maitre d? ›
"Maître d'" is short for "maître d'hôtel," which comes from French and literally means "master of the house." "Maître d'hôtel" was first used in English in the 16th century for a head butler or steward of a household, before it was adapted to refer to the head of a dining-room staff around the middle of the 19th ...
Maître d' is short for maître d'hôtel, which comes from French and literally means "master of the house." Maître d'hôtel was used in English for a head butler or steward of a household before it referred to the head of a dining-room staff.
What is another name for the maitre d hotel? ›
You could also call this person the host. Maitre d'hotel originally meant "head domestic" in English — the servant in charge of a home's staff — from the French meaning, "house master." By 1890, the term came to describe the manager of a dining room or hotel.
What's in maitre d'butter? ›
Maître d' butter, also known as Maître D'hôtel Butter, is a standard compound butter comprised of whipped softened butter with acid such as lemon juice or vinegar, with finely minced fresh parsley and seasonings. It is commonly served on beef, fish, chicken, pork, or vegetables.
Why is it called maitre d'hotel butter? ›
Mâitre d'Hotel butter refers to a compound butter that the head waiter (or “Mâitre d'” in French) would prepare tableside and add to finished dishes in high end hotel restaurants – which is why it's also sometimes called hotel butter.
Why is it called compound butter? ›
A compound butter ("beurre composé" in French) is simply butter mixed with other ingredients that add sweet or savory flavor, like honey, herbs, or garlic.
Why is it called Maitre d'hôtel butter? ›
Mâitre d'Hotel butter refers to a compound butter that the head waiter (or “Mâitre d'” in French) would prepare tableside and add to finished dishes in high end hotel restaurants – which is why it's also sometimes called hotel butter.
How is a beurre manié incorporated into sauces? ›
Beurre Manié is added to warm or hot liquids at the final stage of cooking. As the flour particles are coated with butter, when butter melts, it releases them which help to thicken without getting any lumps. It also gives a nice shiny and smooth texture to sauces which makes it visually appealing.
What is a maitre d hôtel in French? ›
Maître d' is short for maître d'hôtel, which comes from French and literally means "master of the house." Maître d'hôtel was used in English for a head butler or steward of a household before it referred to the head of a dining-room staff.
