Butter Boards! You’ve seen the in-foodie magazines and social media as the latest greatest trend … but in truth, they’re really not all that new. Chef Josh McFadden popularized the age-old concept in his James Beard Award winning cookbook, Six Seasons: A NEW WAY WITH VEGETABLES. He began serving this easy nosh at dinner parties to draw guests to the table, giving them something to nibble as soon as they sat down.
Inspired by the fresh herbs and edible flowers from his garden, he’s devised numerous variations, playing with color and textures. “It’s not really a recipe; it’s a technique,” he said. “No two boards are ever alike.”
The key is to use soft, spreadable butter (which is why I keep mine in a butter crock at the ready). These take the place of a bread basket for brunch, lunch, cocktails, and dinner. Consider the board, spread with a good, soft butter, the blank canvas and just use what you have! These come together ASAP!
- Herbed Butter Boards: top with chopped parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, a sprinkling of finely grated lemon rind, and edible flowers to serve with sliced baguette and thinly sliced rye.
- Breakfast Butter Board: top with diced fruit, cinnamon sugar, chopped nuts, spoonfuls of different jams, and edible flowers to serve with sliced bagels and scones.
- Brunch Butter Board: top with diced smoked salmon, capers, diced radishes, chopped dill, diced hard boiled eggs, and edible flowers to serve with sour dough toast and croissant.
- Cocktail Butter Board: top with sliced cured meat, diced radishes, smoked fish, herbs, toasted nuts, cornichons, mustard seeds, and edible flowers. Serve with crostini and crackers.
