Pesto Compound Butter
½ pound butter, room temperature
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
4½ cup toasted pine nuts
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
juice from ½ lemon, freshly squeezed
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt, to taste
Place all ingredients except for olive oil and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until everything is mixed and the butter is bright green. With the food processing running, drizzle in the oil and season to taste with salt. Divide the butter into portions (you can wrap it in parchment paper, plastic wrap on place in a plastic storage container. Freeze the butter for up to 6 months. Use as needed.
Serving suggestions:
This butter is great on everything from proteins to vegetables, you can use it to finish a sauce or serve on bread for the ultimate garlic toast. We tossed our butter in some freshly cooked pasta for a quick dish.