This Calabrian chili butter uses a uniquely Italian ingredient to bring spice, smoke and sweetness to butter, and can be spread on everything from freshly baked bread to seared steak.
Calabrian chilies have a unique flavor that brings me right back to summertime trips to Italy (like this one). On one trip in particular, the summer after I graduated college, I bought 2 or 3 jars of Calabrian chilies to bring back home. I savored each and every meal I made with them, each time feeling like I was back on the rocky cliffs of Amalfi, or outdoor dining on the bustling streets of Naples. I went through those jars of chilies faster than I’d like to admit, but I’ve recently discovered that with a little searching (and a little more cash than you’d pay in Italy), you can actually pretty readily find jars of Calabrian chilies here. It opened up a Pandora’s box of recipe ideas for me, but the one I’m starting with is simple and really showcases the unique flavor of these chilies: Calabrian chili butter.
WHAT ARE CALABRIAN CHILIES?
The Calabrian region of southern Italy, right at the tip of the boot, is home to the Calabrian chili. Calabria is enclosed by three mountain ranges and situated between two seas, and has an ideal environment for growing chilies. There’s lots of sunlight, little rain, and nutrient dense soil. These factors, along with the unique Calabrian chili itself, produce a chili that is mildly spicy, slightly fruity, and warm and smoky. While you can get fresh Calabrian chilies in Italy, the Calabrian chilies you find here are jarred (either packed in olive oil or picked) or dried. They’re perfect for adding a bite of heat and lots of smoky sweet flavor to any dish.
MY TAKE ON CALABRIAN CHILI BUTTER
A few months ago, my boyfriend Gabe and I ate at a fantastic restaurant in Ridgewood, Queens called Rolo’s. Rolo’s serves up a number of modern Italian dishes, including a bunch of woodfired delicacies. While everything we had was delicious, the standout for us was a simple appetizer of woodfired polenta bread (similar to my polenta bread) served with a Calabrian chili butter. Besides finally getting my hands on a jar of Calabrian chilies, that dish is really what inspired this recipe. And now that I’ve made it myself, I’m planning on putting it on everything from toast and freshly baked breads to pastas and meats, and maybe even waffles.
While you could make this Calabrian chili butter as easy as mixing butter with Calabrian chilies and it would be incredibly delicious, I chose to add a few extra flavor elements to mine. I went with some smoked paprika, which bumps the naturally smoky and sweet flavor of the chilies, and garlic because everything is better with garlic. I like to use a few smashed cloves of my garlic confit, because it’s sweet and nutty. But you could also use some lightly sautéed chopped garlic, or even a bit of raw garlic for an extra bite.
Calabrian Chili Butter
Ingredients
- 1 stick salted butter, softened
- 4-5 cloves garlic, either slow cooked in olive oil and mashed or minced and lightly sautéed
- 3-5 tbsp chopped Calabrian chilies
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl combine all ingredients. Whip butter with a fork to combine well and whip some air into the butter.
- Store butter in a small glass jar in the fridge or place into cling wrap and roll into a log and place in the fridge.
Thank you for sharing this recipe! Good on chops too!