I just found the website for A Life of Spice and I was bowled over by it! The author even has an article in Saveur. Check it out! Below is her recipe for Spiced Butter which I intend to try this weekend.
Spiced Butter
Makes 1 1/2 cups
This butter will solidify when chilled, but it will become liquid again when left at room temperature. Adapted from “The Soul of a New Cuisine” by Chef Marcus Samuelsson (Wiley & Sons, 2006)
1 pound unsalted butter
1/2 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
One 3-inch piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cardamom seeds
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
8 basil leaves
1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. As foam rises to the top, skim and discard it. Continue cooking, without letting the butter brown, until no more foam appears.
2. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, fenugreek, cumin, cardamom, oregano, turmeric, and basil and continue cooking for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from the heat and let stand until the spices settle. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve before using.
