Daniel wrote to All <=-
When I learned about clarified butter, it was from the 'Seasoned Cook' channel on youtube. He described two techniques. First was to let the water evaporate while the butter is under heat.
Then once the water is gone, strain the butter through triple-layer cheesecloth. At the end you have clarified butter.
The second process is to heat the butter on low, ladle out the casein solids. The water will be separated from the butter. He ladled out the butter into a storage container.
The advantage of the second process is that you're not 'cooking' the butter as long. Stated that butter can only cook for so long before it browns so, in doing this, you get more cooking
time.
With this advice, it seems relevant with respect to technique. Do you
all have a preference or have you developed your own technique along
the way?
I go with the boil & strain method. It's quicker and I'm less prone to make a mistake.
I heat the butter in a saucepan and skim the foam until the surface is
clear. Then I strain the result through a cheesecloth or old tee shirt.
Here's a nice spiced clarified butter that works an many things.
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06
Title: Niter Kebbeh (Spiced Clarified Butter)
Categories: Sauces, Vegetables, Herbs
Yield: 1 Pint
1 lb Unsalted butter
1/4 c Chopped onions
2 cl Garlic; pressed
2 ts Fresh gingerroot; grated
1/2 ts Turmeric
4 Cardamom seeds; crushed
1 Cinnamon stick
2 Cloves
1/8 ts Nutmeg
1/4 ts Ground fenugreek seeds
1 tb Fresh basil
+=OR=+
1 ts Dried basil
In a small saucepan, gradually melt the butter and bring
it to bubbling. When the top is covered with foam, add
the other ingredients and reduce the heat to a simmer.
Gently simmer, uncovered, on low heat. After about 45
to 60 minutes, when the surface becomes transparent and
the milk solids are on the bottom, pour the liquid
through a cheesecloth into a heat resistant container.
Discard the spices and solids.
Covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator, Niter
Kebbeh will keep for up to 2 months.
Recipe from:
http://www.recipesource.com
Uncle Dirty Dave's Kitchen
MMMMM
... Sadly, the world will always have more bad restaurants than good.
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