On food and cooking the science and lore of the kitchen ( PDFDrive ) 1195

consistency of the butterfat itself, which thanks to its long fat molecules is naturally more slow-flowing and viscous than water So melted butter, whole or clarified (“drawn”) to remove the water phase, makes a simple and delicious sauce Cooks also heat whole butter until the water boils off and the milk solids turn brown, which gives the fat a nutty aroma The French beurre noisette and beurre noir, or “hazelnut” and “black” butters, are such browned butters, often made into a temporary emulsion with lemon juice and vinegar respectively Compound and Whipped Butters There are other ways to take advantage of butter’s semisolid consistency and background richness One is to make a “compound butter” by incorporating pounded herbs, spices, shellfish eggs or livers, or other ingredients; another is to whip softened butter with a flavorful liquid into a combined emulsion and foam Pieces or dollops of these flavored butters can then be melted into a rich, flavorful coating atop a piece of meat or fish, or on some vegetables or pasta, or they can be swirled into an otherwise finished sauce Turning Butter Back into Cream: Enriching Sauces with Butter Butter is remarkable for being a convertible emulsion This offspring of cream can be turned back into cream! Its convertibility is what makes butter so useful as a finishing enrichment for many sauces, including simple pan deglazings, and it’s what makes possible the sauce called beurre blanc, literally “white butter.” There’s only one requirement for converting butter into the equivalent of cream with 80% fat: the process must start in a small amount of water If you melt butter on its own, the fat phase remains the continuous phase, and the water droplets settle out of it But if you melt butter in some water, then ... deglazings, and it’s what makes possible the sauce called beurre blanc, literally “white butter.” There’s only one requirement for converting butter into the equivalent of cream with 80% fat: the process must start in a small... with 80% fat: the process must start in a small amount of water If you melt butter on its own, the fat phase remains the continuous phase, and the water droplets settle out of it But if you melt butter in some water, then ... or dollops of these flavored butters can then be melted into a rich, flavorful coating atop a piece of meat or fish, or on some vegetables or pasta, or they can be swirled into an otherwise finished sauce