Perfect Pairings: Dill & Caper Butter

Want to know what pairs perfectly with our wild-caught, Canadian seafood? We've got you! In this ongoing series, we'll be sharing our favourite seafood accompaniments, from flavour-packed butters and glazes to simple (and delicious!) sides.

Today, we're starting things off with the basics. This herby dill and caper butter is a quick and easy recipe that can be prepped in advance, then sliced and kept in the freezer for convenience. Pairing beautifully with any piece of white fish, it's the perfect way to inject flavour into your standard weeknight dinner while using leftover herbs that are on their way out.

Ingredients

• 250g salted butter, room temperature
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1.5 tbsp capers, finely chopped
• 1/4 bunch of fresh dill, finely chopped
• Zest of 1 lemon

Directions

1. Remove butter from fridge and allow to come to room temperature.
2. Once the butter has softened, add it to a small mixing bowl along with the garlic and capers.
3. Mix well until evenly distributed, then add the fresh dill and lemon zest. Stir until combined.
4. Cut a square of parchment paper or wax paper. Spoon the butter mixture into the centre of the paper in a rough log shape.
5. Take the edge of the paper closest to you and fold it over the butter, using your hands to gently shape and smooth it into a uniform log.
6. Roll the butter up in the paper and twist the sides to tighten the package. Place the butter in the fridge until firm.
7. After a few hours (or even the next day!), remove the package from the fridge and place it on a clean chopping board. Using a sharp knife, slice into rounds approximately 1cm thick.
8. Cut squares of wax or parchment paper slightly larger than your butter rounds. Begin stacking your herb butter, alternating between butter round and paper, to prevent them from sticking.
9. Store your prepared herb butter in an air tight container or bag and place in the freezer.

Notes

• This recipe yields approximately 10 rounds of herb butter (depending on the length and size of your rolled log).
• We typically use two butter rounds per 1-pound portion of fish, but you can certainly use more or less depending on your personal preferences.
• To ensure we always have fresh herb butter on hand, we prefer to keep our prepped butter rounds in the freezer. Once flipping the fish (around 1/2 way through cooking), we add the frozen butter to the top side of the fillet. The warmth from the cooked side of fish slowly melts the butter without causing the garlic or herbs to burn in the hot pan. However, you may choose to thaw your butter slightly before adding it to the pan or ditch the freezer altogether! The choice is entirely yours.
• We used dill in this recipe, but you could easily substitute it with anything you have in abundance, whether it be parsley, basil, or thyme (the list goes on!).