Pink Peppercorn Lime Butter Recipes

SKILLET STEAK WITH PINK-PEPPERCORN BUTTER

Steps:

• Soak shallot in water 10 minutes. Meanwhile, grate 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, then remove peel and pith from lemon. Working over a bowl, cut between membranes to remove segments. Add drained shallot; season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, stir together butter, peppercorns, and zest; season with salt.
• Heat a heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high; swirl in 1 tablespoon oil. Season steak with salt and pepper; cook, undisturbed, until a dark crust forms, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip; cook about 3 minutes more for medium-rare. Brush with some of butter mixture; transfer to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes. Slice steak across the grain; season with salt. Toss lemon mixture with frisee, mint, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Serve steak with salad, baguette, and remaining butter mixture.

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE WITH PINK PEPPERCORN CARAMEL

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat a 9-inch skillet over medium heat and melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add the slices of pineapple in a single layer and sprinkle the brown sugar over the fruit. Cook until the pineapple browns slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the pineapple slices. Turn off the heat and keep warm.
• Whisk together the buttermilk, vanilla, eggs and the remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a medium bowl until smooth. Use a rubber spatula to stir in the flour, granulated sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda until completely smooth. (The batter will be fairly stiff.) Pour the batter over the pineapple.
• Transfer the skillet to the center of the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake emerges clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool for about 10 minutes before carefully unmolding onto a serving platter. (See Cook's Note.)
• For the caramel: Combine the granulated sugar, corn syrup, lime juice and 1/4 cup cold water in a medium stainless saucepan. Stir in the pink peppercorns and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook until the sugar is dissolved, then cook, 10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly. When the cake is unmolded, pour the caramel over the cake.

PEPPERCORN BUTTER

Steps:

• Place peppercorns and coriander seeds in a food processor and process until broken apart but with some texture.
• Add butter and combine.
• Place butter on sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a log. Refrigerate for up to a week and then freeze, if not used.

SALT-BAKED NEW POTATOES WITH PINK-PEPPERCORN BUTTER

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash the potatoes.
• In a large bowl, mix the salt, rosemary needles, peppercorns and 1 cup water together with your hands, crushing the peppercorns a little between your fingers and bruising the rosemary needles to release their sticky oil, making a moist, fragrant and pink-and-green speckled sand. (You might have to add a few splashes of water if the mixture needs more moisture to feel like wet sand.)
• Transfer a little less than half this salt mixture into the bottom of a wide, shallow, heavy ovenproof skillet or casserole to make a salt bed about 1/2-inch thick.
• Nestle the potatoes into the sand, close to one another but not quite touching, if possible.
• Pack the rest of the salt mixture over the nestled potatoes, and rub and brush and smooth it with your hands until you have tightly encased the potatoes in a little salt sarcophagus. The rounded tops of the potatoes will just show as bumps under the salt cast.
• Bake the potatoes for 30 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester easily pierces the potatoes and tests warm on your chin or the back of your hand. The salt casing will dry and harden like clay - and smell delicious while baking.
• While the potatoes roast, prepare the compound butter: Grind the peppercorns in a mortar and pestle with the whole branches of rosemary to create an oily, coarse powder. Remove the bruised rosemary sprigs, shaking off any clinging pink peppercorns, and discard. (You just want to extract the oily flavor from the rosemary, not the needles themselves.) In a small bowl, mash the oily peppercorn powder with the salted butter using a fork until well blended.
• To serve, rap the salt-packed potatoes forcefully on a sturdy surface that can handle it, to crack the salt crust from the force. A few solid raps will loosen the potatoes inside. If the cast needs a little more help, use a regular dinner knife like a spade to just pop open the salt crust along its fault lines. The potatoes are easily plucked from the dry salt. Set out with the compound butter in a small bowl on the side.

FRIED CHICKEN AND BISCUITS WITH PINK PEPPERCORN-HONEY BUTTER

Steps:

• For pink peppercorn-lime honey:
• Place peppercorns in small skillet and stir over medium heat until slightly darker in color, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool in skillet. Using mortar with pestle, coarsely crush peppercorns. Transfer peppercorns to small bowl. Mix in honey, lime juice, lime peel, and 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt. Let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes before using. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.
• For pink peppercorn-honey butter:
• Whisk all ingredients in small bowl. Cover; chill. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Bring to room temperature before using.
• For chicken:
• Whisk 4 cups buttermilk, 2 tablespoons coarse salt, and hot pepper sauce in large bowl. Add chicken; turn to coat and press to submerge. Cover and chill overnight. Drain and pat dry.
• Place rack on large rimmed baking sheet. Whisk flour and next 4 ingredients in another large bowl. Sprinkle chicken generously with salt and pepper. Divide flour mixture between 2 wide shallow bowls. Place 2 cups buttermilk in medium bowl between bowls of flour mixture.
• Dredge chicken, 1 piece at a time, in 1 bowl of flour mixture, then buttermilk, then in second bowl of flour, gently tapping off excess. Place on prepared rack and let airdry 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, place another rack on another large rimmed baking sheet. Pour enough oil into heavy large pot to reach depth of 1 1/2 to 2 inches. Attach deep-fry thermometer to side of pot. Heat oil over medium-high heat to 280°F to 300°F. Working with 3 chicken pieces at a time, fry until deep golden brown and cooked through, adjusting heat to maintain oil temperature, 12 to 14 minutes per batch. Transfer to clean rack on baking sheet.
• Place 2 chicken pieces on each plate. Place biscuits alongside chicken. Serve with pink-peppercorn butter and honey.