“The Mother Butter” Hail, Caesar Edition!

Hello friends!

Compound butters like this Caesar Butter and The Mother Butter I shared with you weeks ago are your kitchen secret weapons, effortlessly elevating simple meats, fish, rice, and veggies into gourmet delights. Sharp and rich, Caesar Butter shines as both a spread and a sauce, adding bold flavors to every dish it touches. With just a bit of mixing, you’ll have 8 convenient rolls of The Mother Butter Caesar flavor—perfect for transforming toasted bread and sandwiches and bringing effortless flavor to your cooking!

This simple compound butter should appeal even to anchovy-haters, of which we know there are many. It captures the essence of Caesar dressing without the tangy mayo, with dill, parsley, capers, and a subtle hint of anchovy. Despite the umami boost from the anchovy, the butter isn’t fishy—it’s caper-y, herby, and full of vibrant flavor.

To achieve the classic Caesar umami flavor, I opted for Ortiz anchovies based on recommendations from Serious Eats and a video from America’s Test Kitchen. They were right—these anchovies are as delicious as they claim!

With anchovies leftover in my fridge, I’m considering making either a flatbread version of Pissaladière, a French caramelized onion tart, or this Orecchiette Pasta with Caramelized Onions and Anchovies.

Caesar Butter

The Mother Butter: Caesar Edition is a bold, flavor-packed blend that marries the tangy richness of classic Caesar dressing with creamy butter, perfect for transforming bread, meats, fish, and veggies into gourmet delights. Elevate every dish with this irresistible, umami-rich butter that will make your cooking truly shine!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course: #condiment

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb soft unsalted butter (4 sticks)
• 4-6 anchovy fillets in olive oil, finely chopped (I chose Ortiz for its top-rated flavor.)
• 1 shallot, minced
• ½ cup capers, rinsed and thoroughly chopped
• ½ cup chopped soft fresh herbs such as flat leaf parsley, dill or basil (I used ¼ parsley and ¼ dill)
• grated zest of 2 lemons
• pinch of red chili flakes
• kosher salt (to taste, if needed)

Equipment

• stand mixer, or a bowl with a spatula

Method

 

1. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a bowl and spatula, blend all the ingredients, except the salt, until light and well combined. The anchovies and capers will infuse the butter with their saltiness but taste the mixture to see if you'd like to add more salt or an extra anchovy or two.
2. Transfer the butter onto a large sheet of plastic wrap or parchment paper, shaping it into a log. Twist the ends tightly to seal, then refrigerate or freeze until needed. Before using, allow the butter to sit at room temperature for easier spreading.

Notes

For effortless preparation of this compound butter and countless other tasks, I rely on this stand mixer. It’s built to last and handles everything from delicate mixtures to tough pizza and bread dough with ease.

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!

This recipe was partially adapted from Emma Hearst’s Flavors From The Farm: Vegetable-Forward Food to Share. I recently read an article in Salon about Emma and her book. The cookbook offers a range of recipes, including many complex dishes with unique ingredients and several recipes with simpler, more accessible choices.

If you enjoyed this recipe and would love to see more, join me on YouTube and Instagram! Please comment, like, and share. It really helps! I would love to hear from you 🙂 And if you made any of these recipes, how did it go for you?