Brown Butter - One Ingredient Wonder

As the sauce bubbles away on the stove, a sweet scent reminiscent of roasting almonds fills the room.  Step closer to the pan and you’ll see that it’s not a milky, nut-infused topping but instead a thin, golden brown liquid.   Another whiff of the warm nuttiness tells you that neither vegetable nor chicken stock nor even beer simmers in the pan.  Instead the source of this rich, aromatic sauce is butter. 

Can’t believe it’s butter?  Doubt it or not, butter remains the sole ingredient of this repast.  In French it’s referred to as beurre noisetté or hazelnut butter but we know it best as brown butter sauce. 

Since medieval times French chefs have incorporated beurre noisetté into their cooking.  They use it to enliven steamed vegetables, dress up calves’ brains and add a kick to white fish such as skate or halibut.  Even the celebrated tea cakes, financiers, feature brown butter.  It lends a luscious and intense nutty flavor to these almond-studded sweets.  

Brown butter’s prominence in French cooking comes as no surprise.  After all, the renowned chef and father of modern French cuisine, Fernand Point, did proclaim “Butter, always butter!” as his golden culinary rule. 

Beyond the popularity of butter itself, this topping undoubtedly became a hit as a result of its versatility and of how simple it is to prepare.  To make this succulent sauce, a pan, a burner and unsalted butter are all that’s required.  Once it’s finished, it can be used immediately or stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

To create brown butter, begin by cutting 1 ½ sticks of butter into pieces and placing them in a saucepan over medium heat.  Holding onto the pan’s handle, swirl the chunks over the heat so that they melt and start to foam.  If the liquid starts to pop, reduce the temperature slightly so that the butter doesn’t scorch.

Continue cooking until the foam diminishes, the color darkens and brown particles form.  Once the liquid transforms into a golden brown, remove the pan from the heat and allow the sediment to settle to the bottom. 

A word of warning:  The evolution from brown to black happens fast.  Never allow the liquid to reach the latter stage.  Blackened, burnt butter tastes terrible and should be tossed out.       

After achieving the desired brown hues, your work has more or less ended.  Amazing!  In roughly 5 minutes you’ve crafted a classic French sauce. 

Before serving the sauce, some cooks strain it in cheesecloth or a fine mesh sieve to remove the dark specks.  Thinking that the flecks of brown add color and reinforce the notion of “brown butter,” others forgo straining and present the liquid as is.  With no hard and fast rule, proper presentation rests in the cook’s hands.

Likewise, the addition of salt, pepper and lemon juice or balsamic vinegar remains a personal preference.  Those wishing to balance the rich, buttery flavor with something acidic should remember to drizzle in the juice or vinegar after the melted butter has cooled.  Otherwise, the inclusion of the cold acid will cause the hot butter to spatter.

The quick change from bland stick of butter to tasty, nutty sauce may seem magical.  Yet, it’s science, not culinary sleight of hand, that’s behind this delectable transformation.     

As the butter heats to 250 degrees Fahrenheit, the water in it begins to boil off and evaporate.  The remaining milk solids, consisting of proteins and carbohydrates, react with one another.  This reaction results in the fragrant hazelnut aroma, tell-tale colored bits and uncomplicated yet nonetheless delicious sauce.

Sauce finished, the quandary of where to use it remains.  Fortunately for the cook, brown butter goes well a variety of foods.  When added to cookies, cakes, pie crusts, puddings and icings, it provides a lush, hazelnut taste.  Obviously, it forms a great partnership with nuts and pairs nicely with richer fruits such as bananas, too.

Along with these items, brown butter sauce spices up such seafood as scallops, soft-shell crabs, lobster and white-fleshed fish.  Drizzled over pasta, pierogies, mashed potatoes, broccoli or Brussels sprouts, it makes these dishes zestier and more complex.  With bread and popcorn it supplies an extra kick that oil and traditional butter don’t provide. 

Michael Falcone, chef-owner of the New American bistro the Funky Lil’ Kitchen in Pottstown, Pa., sums up the beauty of brown butter best.  “It really gives things a familiar, but hard to place taste, that is so versatile,” says Falcone, who includes it in such desserts as madeleines and crepes.

Whether added to a dessert or dressing up an entree or side, brown butter, or beurre noisetté, bestows a dash of nuttiness and color to a wealth of foods.

Linguine with Brown Butter, Parsley and Romano
Serves 4

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 pound linguine
¼ cup wheat bread crumbs
1 tablespoon dried parsley or 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
½ cup Locatelli Romano cheese, grated

Using a small saucepan, melt the butter chunks over medium-low to medium heat, swirling the pan over the heat.  Continue cooking and swirling the pan.  A foam will form and then slowly disappear.  At this point the butter should be turning a golden color and specks of brown should form.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

Cook the linguine according to the package’s instructions.  Once the pasta has finished cooking and been drained, tumble it into a large bowl.  Pour the brown butter over the linguine and, using two forks, toss together so that the pasta is coated.  Sprinkle the bread crumbs, parsley and Romano cheese over the pasta and toss again.  Serve immediately.

Seared Scallops with Brown Butter Sauce
Serves 4

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ pounds large sea scallops
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons good balsamic vinegar
salt, to taste

Using a small saucepan, melt the butter chunks over medium-low to medium heat, swirling the pan over the heat.  Continue cooking and swirling the pan.  The butter will foam and then slowly settle.  At this point the butter should be turning a golden color with specks of brown forming.  Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Place the olive oil in a large frying or sauté pan and heat on medium high until the oil is smoking.   Carefully place two scallops in the pan and cook 2 minutes on each side.  The scallops should be browned.  Sprinkle fresh ground pepper on top of each and then remove them from the pan and place on a plate.  Follow the same steps to sear the remaining scallops.  
Before serving the scallops, add 1 ½ tablespoons of vinegar and the salt to the brown butter.  Stir together and taste for seasoning, adding the remaining ½ tablespoon of vinegar if necessary.  Place the scallops on plates and drizzle the sauce over each scallop.  Serve immediately.

“Triple B” a/k/a Brown Butter Butterscotch Cookies
Makes 3 ½ dozen cookies

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) butter, cut into pieces
2/3 cup granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease two baking sheets and set aside.

In a medium-sized pan heat the butter over medium-low heat, swirling the pan over the heat.  Continue cooking and swirling the pan.  The butter will foam and then slowly settle.  At this point the butter should be turning a golden color with specks of brown forming.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly before stirring in the sugar and vanilla.  Allow the liquids to cool to room temperature and then add the egg, whisking to combine. 

In a large bowl mix together the flour, salt and baking soda.  Add the liquids to the flour and mix well.  Add the butterscotch chips and stir until well combined. 

Using a small spoon or disher, scoop out the dough and place the cookies about 1-inch apart from each other on the greased baking sheets.  Bake for 20 minutes or until the cookies are light brown.  Remove from the baking sheets and cool on wire racks. 

© 2009, Kathy Hunt. Distributed by Tribune Media Services Inc.