Montpellier Butter

Ingredients

• 90 grams watercress leaves
• 90 grams parsley leaves
• 90 grams chervil leaves
• 90 grams chives
• 90 grams tarragon leaves
• 25 grams spinach leaves
• 40 grams shallots, finely chopped
• 3 cornichons (small pickled gherkins)
• 1 tablespoon capers, pressed
• 1 small garlic clove
• 4 anchovy fillets
• 750 grams butter
• 3 hard-cooked egg yolks
• 2 raw egg yolks
• 200 milliliters oil

Instructions

1. Bring a copper pot of water to a boil. Add the watercress, parsley, chervil, chives, and tarragon (in equal proportions, totaling 90–100 grams) all at once. Separately, blanch the finely chopped shallots in the same boiling water.
2. Drain the herbs and shallots thoroughly, then refresh them in cold water. Press them very firmly to extract excess moisture, then pound them together into a fine paste.
3. Add to the herb paste the cornichons, pressed capers, small garlic clove, and anchovy fillets. Continue pounding until everything forms a fine paste.
4. Work in the 750 grams of butter, then incorporate the hard-cooked egg yolks and raw egg yolks. Gradually whisk in the oil in small portions. Pass the entire preparation through a fine sieve (or cheesecloth, étamine).
5. Smooth the preparation with a whisk. Season with salt and a pinch of Cayenne pepper.
6. This butter accompanies cold fish and is used to coat them when they are prepared for the buffet.