You could make garlic bread with margarine, garlic salt and parsley, and you'd probably get no complaints.

EVANS CAGLAGE/DMN

With a few additions, garlic butter can become a gourmet condiment.

But with a stash of this garlic-butter compound in the freezer, you could elevate garlic bread to one of your staple recipes. And, like many great recipes, it's adaptable to whatever herbs you have on hand. They will be bobbing out of the ground before you know it.

In a mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup salted butter, softened; 1 tablespoon chopped garlic; 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley; 1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice; and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Add 1 teaspoon of one of these fresh herbs: thyme, oregano, marjoram or chervil. Mix with a wire whisk until thoroughly blended. Transfer to a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Or roll into a log, wrap well in freezer wrap and freeze until ready to use.

To make garlic bread, spread generously on sliced crusty bread and broil until bubbly. Also try it with freshly grated Parmesan on top before broiling.

Laura H. Ehret

SOURCE: Fresh Herb Cooking

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