“Crème Fraîche is really simple to make and is, I think, even more versatile than sour cream.”
In last week’s article, I used a sour cream with horseradish as a topping for the smoked Mackinaw trout (visit TheTahoeWeekly.com). That simple sauce is great on anything smoked by the way, and can also be used on the Mackinaw even if it wasn’t smoked.
Anyway, I went to the Giants game in San Francisco a few nights ago with Steve K. and his friend, Mike, whom also happens to be a chef. When Steve mentioned to him that I write this article, and we talked about the last article, Mike asked if I would consider substituting Crème Fraîche for the sour cream. The answer is yes.
First of all, I guess it would be a good thing to tell you what Crème Fraîche is and what the difference is between it and sour cream. Crème Fraîche is a soured cream with a 30 to 45 percent butterfat that soured using a bacterial culture. Sour cream has a fat content of only about 20 percent and uses other ingredients to thicken and stabilize it. Sour cream also has a bit more of a twang to it.
Crème Fraîche is really simple to make and is, I think, even more versatile than sour cream. All you need to do is to pour a cup of heavy cream into a bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon of buttermilk or plain yogurt. Loosely cover the bowl with wrap and let it sit out on the counter at room temperature for about 24 hours.
The cream will look a little yellowish and thick the next day. Mix it well and it’s ready to go. If you taste it and want a little more twang, let it sit a little longer. It will keep for up to about 10 days in the refrigerator and you can use it for everything you would use sour cream for and then a lot more.
Crème Fraîche can be used for main dishes, as well as desserts. Try a little dollop on a piece of warm apple pie and you will see it’s really tasty. It is also awesome with berries. When you go out to a restaurant and order dessert and the cake or whatever you got has a nice design on the plate with different colored sauces, the main sauce is usually Crème Fraîche and then there could be a raspberry coulis or similar sauce to complete the design.
You don’t have to add anything to it, but you can sweeten it with maple syrup, honey, or sugar and vanilla for desserts or a touch of salt and some fresh herbs for entrees or baked potatoes. It is also great for finishing off sauces that you want to slightly thicken because, unlike sour cream, it won’t curdle when heated.
I do want to mention that if your kitchen is on the colder side or not up in the 70s, you can speed up the process and heat the cream on the stove to warm, not boiling, before adding the buttermilk or yogurt. At any rate, this is a simple sauce that can be used for many dishes and is a great recipe to keep on hand and try out for different dishes. Enjoy.
Crème Fraîche
Pour a cup of heavy cream into a bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon of buttermilk or plain yogurt. Loosely cover the bowl with wrap and let it sit out on the counter at room temperature for about 24 hours. Mix well.
For more twang, let it sit a little longer. It will keep for up to about 10 days in the refrigerator.
Smitty is a personal chef specializing in dinner parties, cooking classes and special events. Trained under Master Chef Anton Flory at Top Notch Resort in Stowe, Vt., Smitty is known for his creative use of fresh ingredients. To read archived copies of Stir it Up, visit chefsmitty.com or TheTahoeWeekly.com. Contact him at smitty@chefsmitty.com or (530) 412-3598.
