“Tonight, I’m dining on pheasant bordelaise with peach fuzz dressing,” said Ginger Rogers’s character in the wisecracking 1937 movie “Stage Door,” ridiculing snobbish fancy food.
Herb blossom butter may sound just as decadent and silly, but it’s really just a prettier, more floral version of herb butter, perfect to dab on any mild white-fleshed fish, salmon or trout. Poached chicken breast? Yes, there too.
An herb’s blossom tastes like the herb itself. So thyme blossoms are subtly thyme-flavored; arugula blossoms taste like arugula, with a hint of honeysuckle. In season, look for blossoming herbs at the farmers’ market — or in the vegetable garden. Notice how an ordinary bunch of rosemary or sage is flecked with delicate, perfumed flowers.
Most leafy brassicas, whether mustard greens or broccoli rabe, sprout yellow or white blossoms as they bloom and go to seed. One often sees whole fields of golden flowers in the springtime, the tippy tops of wild mustard. These flowers have the color of mustard, but, surprisingly, a very mild flavor.
A chive blossom is deceptive, too. It certainly looks harmless enough, perched above a bunch of chives. The pale violet sphere-shaped bloom is actually composed of myriad tiny bell-shaped blossoms clustered together. Declustered, the beautiful flowers appear dainty. Nibble on one, and you’ll see it is far stronger-tasting than a chive; it has the sharp bite of raw onion.
Herb blossom butter is easy to make: Simply stir an assortment of chopped flowers into softened butter and season with salt, pepper and lemon. Smear the butter on sautéed flounder fillets straight out of the pan. Toss a knob of it into freshly cooked egg noodles or steamed zucchini or scrambled eggs. Spread it on sliced bread for garden-party cucumber sandwiches.
Of course, there are other beautiful edible flowers to consider, like calendula and nasturtium and borage and marigold, ready to sprinkle, like fairy dust, as a garnish, or to make your herb blossom butter even more colorful.
Recipe: Flounder With Herb Blossom Butter
And to Drink ...
Dry white wines love any combination of butter, herbs and mild fish. Throw in a little citrus, and all the better. The herb flowers here offer visual appeal, but to the wine, it’s all the same. Your decision is how fancy you want to get. A good Chablis, Meursault or chardonnay equivalent would be a classic match. Just as good would be wines with pronounced herbal tones, like grüner veltliners or sauvignon blancs from the Loire Valley. Muscadet, too, would be delicious, particularly a bottle with some richness to it. You could also pull out a dry chenin blanc, like a Savennières, or even a Champagne or similarly constituted sparkling wine. Sherry lovers know that finos and fish are a treat. ERIC ASIMOV
Follow NYT Food on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. Get regular updates from NYT Cooking, with recipe suggestions, cooking tips and shopping advice.
Continue reading the main story