Frank's Recipes! Smen (Moroccan Butter)

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Smen (Moroccan Butter)

(see also Honeyed Lamb (Mrouzia))
2 cups sweet butter, diced
1 tablespoons coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon herbes de Provence

Smen is a type of preserved clarified butter prepared in a way similar to Indian ghee. It may be flavored with wild herbs. It has quite a potent cheese taste that takes a little getting used to, especially for eating on bread. In cooking, smen lends a characteristic flavor to tagines, k'dras and couscous. In some Fez and Berber households, smen is packed in glass jars and kept for years, gradually becoming darker and more pungent with time.

This is a simplified way of making Smen.

Gently heat the butter in a saucepan until melted, then bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes until the butter is clear and there is a separate layer on the bottom of the pan. Line a sieve with muslin that has been wrung out in hot water, and sprinkle with the salt and herb. Gradually spoon the clear butter into the sieve and allow it to strain through. Then strain it again into a clean, dry jar. Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.