Compound butter with Douglas fir tips

Name: Compound butter with Douglas fir tips
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: ± 150 g
Ingredients: 125 g soft unsalted butter; 2 tablespoons (± 10 g) finely chopped young Douglas fir tips; 1 teaspoon grated zest of an unwaxed lemon; 1 teaspoon lemon juice; ½ teaspoon salt; freshly ground pepper

Updated on 9 October 2026

Makes: ± 150 g
Time: 10 min + 1 hr setting
From: Douglas fir

Ingredients

125 g soft unsalted butter
2 tablespoons (± 10 g) finely chopped young Douglas fir tips
1 teaspoon grated zest of an unwaxed lemon
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper

Method

Pick light green tips from a Douglas fir you can identify with certainty (never yew). Remove the brown scales and chop the tips very finely.
Beat the soft butter smooth with a fork.
Mix in the tips, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and a little pepper.
Spoon the butter onto a sheet of baking paper, roll it into a log 3 cm thick and twist the ends closed.
Chill for at least 1 hour. Overnight is better: the flavour soaks well into the butter.
Slice off rounds and put them on hot grilled fish or chicken, boiled potatoes or vegetables.

Storing: 1 week in the fridge; in slices, 3 months in the freezer.