French · Sauce · All year
Café de Paris Butter
4.6 community
20m
Prep
0m
Cook
Easy
Level
190
kcal
The legendary Geneva steak butter — a compound butter with over a dozen seasonings that melts into an instant sauce. Our faithful-enough home version.
What you need
Ingredients
Servings
8
250 g
🧈 Butter
softened
2
🐟 Anchovies
minced
1 tbsp
🟡 Dijon Mustard
1
🧅 Shallot
minced
1 clove
🧄 Garlic
grated
1 tbsp
🫒 Capers
chopped
1 tbsp
🌿 Parsley
1 tsp
🌿 Tarragon
chopped
1 tsp
🍛 Curry Powder
1 tsp
🌶️ Paprika
1 tsp
🍶 Worcestershire Sauce
1/2
🍋 Lemon
zest and a squeeze
Add all to shopping list
Mise en place
Before you start
20m
Prep
0m
Cook
20m
Total
Serves
Yield: One log, about 250 g
Equipment
Small saucepan
Whisk
Prep checklist
Buttersoftened
Anchoviesminced
Shallotminced
Garlicgrated
Caperschopped
Tarragonchopped
Lemonzest and a squeeze
3 steps
Method
1
Beat the soft butter until creamy, then work in every other ingredient until evenly flecked and faintly orange.
💡
The anchovy and curry powder are non-negotiable — they're the mysterious "what IS that?" depth the original is famous for.
2
Roll into a log in parchment, twist the ends like a candy wrapper, and chill at least 2 hours.
3
Slice a fat coin over any hot steak and let it collapse into sauce as you carry the plate to the table.
From the chef
Notes
Taste before serving and adjust salt and acid — the last 30 seconds of seasoning matter more than any single ingredient.
Afterwards
Keep, reheat & pair
Storage
Airtight jar in the fridge, 3–5 days. Press plastic wrap onto the surface of starch-thickened sauces to stop a skin forming.
Freezing
The freezer is its natural home: 3 months, sliceable frozen. One log = eight future steak dinners upgraded.
Reheating
Reheat gently over low heat, whisking; butter- and egg-based sauces split when boiled. Loosen with a spoonful of warm water or stock.
Make ahead
Most sauces keep 3–5 days refrigerated and freeze in ice-cube trays for instant single portions. Emulsified butter sauces are best made within the hour.
Wine pairing
Follows the dish it dresses.
Beer pairing
Follows the dish it dresses.
On the plate
Serve it with
Sides
·
Any steak, full stop
·
Grilled fish
·
Melted over blistered green beans
Garnish
A final swirl of butter or oil
Fresh herbs
Taste map
Flavor profile
Sweet
Salty
Sour
Bitter
Umami
Heat
Per serving
Nutrition
190
kcal
1g
protein
1g
carbs
21g
fat
3g
fiber
520mg
sodium
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My notes
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