Type what you have

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• all-purpose flour
• milk
• egg
• sour cream
• plain yogurt
• kosher salt
• cayenne pepper

Instructions

1. 1 Whisk flour, milk, egg, crème fraîche, salt, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl until batter drips slowly off whisk. Add a bit more flour if batter seems too thin; add a bit more milk if batter seems too thick.
2. 2 Bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Push a spoonful of batter into the simmering water through the smooth side of a cheese grater with fairly large holes using a spatula.
3. 3 Cook spätzle in batches until they rise to water's surface, about 3 minutes. Remove spätzle with a slotted spoon. Repeat with remaining batter.

By John Mitzewich

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• olive oil
• butter
• wild mushroom
• salt
• shallot
• cognac
• brandy
• champagne vinegar
• white wine vinegar
• chicken broth
• marjoram
• salt
• pepper

Instructions

1. 1 Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in mushrooms with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until any liquid evaporates and mushrooms are light brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. 2 Add shallots and remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter; cook and stir until mushrooms are caramelized and almost tender, about 10 minutes.
3. 3 Drizzle in cognac and vinegar and cook until liquid evaporates, 1 minute. Stir in crème fraîche.
4. 4 Stir in chicken broth and marjoram; season with salt and black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until slightly thickened and mushrooms are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

By John Mitzewich

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• leek
• chardonnay wine
• sugar
• salt
• black pepper

Instructions

1. 1 Cut dark green parts off the leeks and discard. Remove any damaged outer leaves. Cut leeks in half lengthwise and slice into 1/2-inch strips on the diagonal. Transfer to a colander. Separate slices and rinse thoroughly to remove dirt. Drain.
2. 2 Place leeks in a pot over medium-high heat. Pour in Chardonnay and sugar. Cook, stirring often, until leeks are soft and tender and wine has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in creme fraiche and season with salt and pepper.

By jennifer

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• butter
• ostrich steak
• beef stock
• calvados
• salt
• black pepper

Instructions

1. 1 Heat butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook ostrich steaks in hot butter until the outside is just about to be crisp, shown by darkening patches as with a beef steak, about 2 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C) for rare. Remove ostrich steaks from the pan and keep warm.
2. 2 Pour beef stock into the skillet and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for a few minutes until slightly reduced, then lower the heat to medium-low and stir in crème fraîche. Cook and stir for 2 minutes, then pour in Calvados and season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. 3 Season each ostrich steak with pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the steaks to serve.

By Swiss Phil

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• butter
• white wine
• lemon zest
• cayenne pepper
• kosher salt
• sea scallop
• tarragon
• parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. 1 Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Brush 2 small gratin dishes with 1 tablespoon melted butter.
2. 2 Whisk crème fraîche, white wine, lemon zest, cayenne pepper, and kosher salt together in a bowl until smooth; add scallops and toss to coat. Let sit until flavors begin to meld, about 5 minutes.
3. 3 Divide scallops between prepared gratin dishes; pour remaining crème fraîche sauce over top. Top with tarragon and Parmesan cheese; drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon butter over top.
4. 4 Bake in the preheated oven for 4 minutes. Increase oven setting to broil; continue cooking until scallops golden brown, slightly springy, and opaque, 2 to 4 minutes more.

By John Mitzewich

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• prosciutto
• whole grain dijon mustard
• sour cream
• parsley
• lemon zest
• salt
• pepper
• whole grain cracker

Instructions

1. 1 Whisk together the creme fraiche, Dietz & Watson Whole Grain Dijon Mustard, parsley (leaving some leftover for garnish), lemon zest, and salt and pepper.
2. 2 Spread 1/2 tablespoon of mixture on each cracker.
3. 3 Top with a small slice of Dietz & Watson Prosciutto.
4. 4 Garnish with parsley and lemon zest.

By Dietz Watson

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• spinach fettuccini pasta
• olive oil
• onion
• ham
• broccoli floret
• salt
• pepper

Instructions

1. 1 Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain, and return to pot.
2. 2 Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until soft and translucent. Stir in ham, and heat through. Mix onion, ham and broccoli with pasta in pot. Mix in creme fraiche until evenly coated.

By Ceesbees

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• quince
• apple cider
• sugar
• lemon
• orange flower water
• orange zest
• heavy cream
• vanilla sugar

Instructions

1. 1 Combine quinces, hard cider, and white sugar in a pressure cooker. Close cooker securely and place pressure regulator over vent according to manufacturer's instructions. Heat until steam escapes in a steady flow and makes a whistling sound, about 10 minutes. Adjust temperature until regulator is gently rocking; cook until quinces are soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Let pressure release naturally according to manufacturer's instructions, 5 to 10 minutes. Unlock lid and remove.
2. 2 Transfer cooked quinces and liquid to a serving bowl; stir in lemon juice, orange flower water, and orange zest.
3. 3 Beat heavy cream in a separate chilled glass or metal bowl using an electric mixer until frothy; gradually add vanilla sugar, continuing to beat until soft peaks form. Fold in crème fraîche. Top quince compote servings with whipped cream-crème fraîche.

By Annette

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• butter
• leek
• kosher salt
• yukon gold potato
• chicken broth
• vegetable broth
• heavy cream
• cayenne pepper
• chive

Instructions

1. 1 Melt butter in soup pot over medium-high heat. Add leeks and salt; cook until leeks begin to wilt. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low and cook until soft and almost pastelike, 30 to 40 minutes.
2. 2 Place potatoes in the pot; add chicken broth. Adjust heat so mixture simmers slowly. Cook until potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes. Puree mixture with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender. Whisk in heavy cream and creme fraiche. Heat over medium heat. Add more salt, if needed, and cayenne pepper. Do not boil.
3. 3 Serve with a drizzle of creme fraiche and a sprinkle of chopped chives.

By John Mitzewich

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• olive oil
• leek
• salt
• chicken broth
• black pepper
• cayenne pepper
• sugar snap pea
• mint
• mint

Instructions

1. 1 Pour olive oil into a large pot, set over medium heat, and add leeks to hot oil. Season leeks with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until leeks are soft, 5 to 6 minutes. Pour chicken broth into leeks; bring to a boil. Season with black pepper and cayenne pepper.
2. 2 Stir peas into boiling broth mixture and add 2 mint leaves. Bring back to a boil and cook until peas are bright green and have started to soften, 5 to 6 minutes.
3. 3 Turn off heat; use a slotted spoon to transfer vegetables into a large blender, leaving liquid in pot. Pour half the liquid from the pot into the blender, place a folded towel on the blender lid, and pulse a few times to chop vegetables. Blend at high speed to puree vegetables. Add remaining liquid from pot to blender and liquefy the soup until smooth.
4. 4 Pour soup from blender into a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl and use a spatula to push soup through the strainer, leaving the tough fibrous material behind.
5. 5 Cool soup to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, about 3 hours.
6. 6 Season cold soup with salt and adjust cayenne pepper. Ladle soup into a serving bowl. Spoon creme fraiche into a plastic squeeze bottle and squeeze the creme fraiche over the top of the soup in a loose spiral. Use a skewer to pull the spiral into flower petal shapes, starting from the middle and quickly pulling the skewer through the creme to make pointed petal shapes. Serve garnished with strips of fresh mint.

By John Mitzewich

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• cream cheese
• sugar
• flour
• egg
• honey dijon mustard
• orange zest
• vanilla cookie
• butter
• orange zest

Instructions

1. 1 Mix cookies, orange zest and melted butter. Cover the bottom of cupcake molds with cookie mixture, packing down with back of a spoon. Refrigerate. Whisk eggs, sugar and Maille Honey Dijon mustard. Add flour, cream cheese, creme fraiche and orange zest. Mix well. Fill cupcake molds with mixture, bake at 350 degrees 35 minutes until firm. Chill 2 hours, garnish with fresh berries and serve.

By Maille

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• butternut squash
• olive oil
• sea salt
• black pepper
• paprika
• baguette
• radicchio
• balsamic glaze
• blue cheese
• aluminum foil

Instructions

1. 1 Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil. Set aside.
2. 2 Cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Brush the flesh with a thin coat of olive oil. Set the squash cut side up on the prepared tray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for 40 minutes until the squash is fork tender. Remove to cool completely.
3. 3 Once cool, scoop the flesh into a bowl. Add the creme fraiche, paprika, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Mash with a fork until completely smooth. This much can be done up to three days in advance.
4. 4 Cut the baguette into 1/2-inch slices on a diagonal. Spread them on the second foil-lined baking sheet. Brush the tops with a thin coat of olive oil. Bake on the middle rack for 6 minutes until the edges are just browned.
5. 5 Cut the radicchio into thin ribbons. Toss with olive oil, balsamic glaze and a pinch of salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning and dressing to taste. Spread a couple tablespoons of the squash mash on top of each crostini. Top with the radicchio slaw and a sprinkle of blue cheese for garnish.

By Reynolds KitchensR

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• raspberry
• blackberry
• strawberry
• white sugar
• lemon zest
• lemon juice
• heavy cream
• vanilla extract
• shortbread cookie

Instructions

1. 1 Place raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries in a bowl. Add ¼ cup sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice; stir until sugar is mixed with berries and juices begin to release. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
2. 2 Place heavy cream and crème fraîche in a cold bowl. Add remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and vanilla extract; whisk until soft peaks and sharp lines form, 5 to 8 minutes.
3. 3 Place some cookie crumbs in the bottom of each serving dish. Spoon in some macerated berries and a layer of whipped cream. Repeat layers, ending with a sprinkle of cookie crumbs.

By John Mitzewich

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• olive oil
• leek
• cucumber
• water
• bread
• almond
• green grape
• sherry vinegar
• cayenne pepper
• salt

Instructions

1. 1 Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add leeks; cook until soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate; cool.
2. 2 Combine cooled leeks, cucumbers, water, bread cubes, crème fraîche, almonds, grapes, vinegar, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a blender; blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate until chilled, 1 to 2 hours.
3. 3 Season with cayenne pepper and salt; taste and add more vinegar if desired. Garnish servings with dill oil (see Chef's Note), thinly sliced grapes, slivered almonds, and fresh dill.

By John Mitzewich

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• butter
• carrot
• onion
• ginger root
• all-purpose flour
• vegetable broth
• sea salt
• white pepper
• orange
• pistachio nut

Instructions

1. 1 Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat and cook carrots, onions, and ginger until softened, about 5 minutes. Dust with flour and cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add broth, cover, and simmer until carrots are soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with sea salt and white pepper.
2. 2 Puree carrot soup with an immersion blender until smooth.
3. 3 Zest 1 orange until you get about 1 teaspoon zest. Juice both oranges.
4. 4 Stir orange juice and creme fraiche into the soup and heat over medium-low heat, but do not boil. Stir in orange zest and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with pistachios.

By Irmela

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• spaghetti
• butter
• leek
• salt
• white wine
• lemon
• tarragon dijon mustard
• cayenne pepper
• salmon
• cilantro

Instructions

1. 1 Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain; return to the pot.
2. 2 Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add leek; cook and stir until slightly softened, 6 to 7 minutes. Season with salt; add white wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Simmer until most liquid evaporated, about 5 minutes.
3. 3 Stir crème fraîche, mustard, and 1 pinch cayenne pepper into leek mixture; reduce heat to low and cook until warmed, about 5 minutes. Add salmon to sauté pan; cook and stir until salmon starts to flake and is no longer pink in centers, 2 to 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in cilantro. Pour salmon sauce over spaghetti; toss to coat. Season with remaining 1 pinch cayenne pepper.

By John Mitzewich

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• gemelli pasta
• pea
• lemon
• olive oil
• zucchini
• garlic
• shrimp
• salt
• black pepper
• basil

Instructions

1. 1 Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add gemelli and cook, stirring occasionally, to desired tenderness, 6 to 11 minutes. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
2. 2 At the same time, bring another small pot of water to a boil. Add peas and boil until slightly softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain.
3. 3 Juice 3 of the lemon halves. Slice the remaining half into thin rounds. Set aside.
4. 4 Heat oil in a deep skillet or large pot over medium-high heat. Add peas, zucchini, and garlic; cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are bright pink on the outside and the meat is opaque, 3 to 5 minutes; be careful not to overcook. Remove from the heat.
5. 5 Add cooked gemelli to the shrimp-vegetable mixture. Stir in creme fraiche and lemon juice and season with more salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with lemon slices and basil.

By KimK

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• butter
• onion
• kosher salt
• butternut squash
• tomato paste
• chicken broth
• cayenne pepper
• heavy cream
• maple syrup
• chive
• pomegranate seed

Instructions

1. 1 Melt butter in a pot over medium-low heat. Add onions and a large pinch of salt. Cook and stir until onions have softened but not taken on any color, about 10 or 15 minutes.
2. 2 Cut off ends of squash. Carefully cut squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Peel the squash with a vegetable peeler. Cut into chunks.
3. 3 Raise heat under the pot to medium-high. Stir in tomato paste; cook and stir until mixture begins to caramelize and turn brown, about 2 minutes. Add squash, chicken broth, 1 teaspoon salt, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until squash is very tender, 15 to 25 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Blend with an immersion blender until very smooth. Stir in cream and maple syrup; add more salt if needed.
4. 4 Ladle into serving bowls. Garnish with a swirl of cream, and a sprinkle of chives and pomegranate seeds.

By John Mitzewich

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• olive oil
• bacon
• garlic
• lemon zest
• ditalini pasta
• cherry tomato
• arugula
• salt
• black pepper
• cayenne pepper
• parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. 1 Pour olive oil into a heavy skillet over medium heat, add bacon, and cook until almost crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Turn off the heat. Hold a paper towel with tongs and mop up excess bacon grease with the paper towel, leave about 2 teaspoons bacon grease in the skillet.
2. 2 Stir minced garlic and lemon zest into bacon in the skillet and let cook in residual heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir creme fraiche into the bacon mixture.
3. 3 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and stir in ditalini. Cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and add pasta to the skillet. Stir pasta thoroughly into bacon and creme fraiche mixture.
4. 4 Return skillet to medium heat. Add tomatoes; cook and stir until slightly softened, about 1 minute. Mix in arugula, stirring until wilted, about 30 seconds, and turn off heat.
5. 5 Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Stir again and garnish with Parmesan cheese.

By John Mitzewich

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• porcini mushroom
• olive oil
• brown mushroom
• salt
• onion
• garlic
• farro
• chicken stock
• flat-leaf parsley
• black pepper
• parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Instructions

1. 1 Place porcini mushrooms in a bowl and cover with warm water; soak until mushrooms are reconstituted, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and chop mushrooms.
2. 2 Heat olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add cremini mushrooms and 1 pinch salt; sauté until slightly golden and moisture cooks off, 5 to 10 minutes. Add chopped porcini mushrooms, reduce heat to medium; cook and stir until hot, 2 to 4 minutes.
3. 3 Add onion; cook and stir until translucent and golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. 4 Stir in farro until coated in olive oil. Increase heat to high; add 1 cup chicken broth and 1 pinch salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer, stirring once, until liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
5. 5 Increase heat to high; stir in remaining 2 cups chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until farro starts to get tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the lid; simmer, uncovered, until farro reaches desired tenderness, about 15 minutes more.
6. 6 Reduce heat to low; stir in crème fraîche and parsley. Season with salt and black pepper. Stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese; serve.

By John Mitzewich

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• sweet potato
• olive oil
• bacon
• green onion
• jalapeno pepper
• salt
• black pepper
• cayenne pepper
• cheddar cheese
• lime juice
• cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. 1 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. 2 Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet. Prick with a knife and drizzle with olive oil; rub to coat. Space sweet potatoes evenly apart.
3. 3 Bake in the preheated oven until completely tender, about 35 minutes.
4. 4 Meanwhile, add bacon to a pan over medium heat. Cook and stir until bacon starts to get crispy and the fat turns foamy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add green onions and jalapeño; cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. 5 Let sweet potatoes cool until safe to handle. Leave the oven on. Cut off the top 1/3 of each potato, holding the knife at a 45-degree angle. Scoop out sweet potato flesh from both the top and bottom halves, leaving at least 1/4 inch flesh in the bottoms to make the shells.
6. 6 Season the sweet potato flesh with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Add 1/2 cup cheese, creme fraiche, and lime juice. Mash with a potato masher. Add the bacon mixture and mix until combined. Spoon filling into the sweet potato shells. Lightly scatter remaining cheese on top.
7. 7 Bake until heated through and tops have started to brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

By John Mitzewich

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• chicken breast
• salt
• butter
• green onion
• red bell pepper
• jalapeno pepper
• chicken broth
• heavy cream
• black pepper
• cayenne pepper
• tarragon
• bread

Instructions

1. 1 Season chicken with salt.
2. 2 Heat butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until outside firms up and inside is still medium-rare, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate and let cool.
3. 3 Reduce heat to medium. Combine green onions, red bell pepper, and jalapeno in the skillet. Add a pinch of salt. Cook and stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to high. Pour in chicken broth. Stir until liquid is mostly evaporated. Stir in cream. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook until sauce is reduced to desired thickness, 6 to 10 minutes.
4. 4 Cut chicken into evenly sized cubes. Add chicken, accumulated juices, and creme fraiche to the sauce. Cook until chicken is no longer pink in the center, 3 to 7 minutes more. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Turn off heat. Stir in tarragon and spoon chicken and sauce over toast.

By John Mitzewich

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• ✓ creme fraiche
• pork shoulder
• kosher salt
• pork
• vegetable oil
• onion
• salt
• black pepper
• sage
• hard apple cider
• apple cider vinegar
• heavy cream
• cayenne pepper
• chive

Instructions

1. 1 Generously salt all sides of the pork shoulder chunks. Heat oil in a heavy pot over high heat. Brown pork shoulder pieces until surface is seared and crusty, about 3 or 4 minutes per side. Transfer browned pork to a plate. Add onions to oil and reduce heat to medium and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook and stir about 2 minutes. Add torn sage leaves; cook until onions soften and begin to brown, stirring frequently. Pour cider into pot; stir to deglaze bottom. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Stir in cider vinegar. Reduce heat to low.
2. 2 Transfer pork shoulder pieces to cider mixture. Cover; simmer gently on low 1 hour. Remove lid and turn pieces over. Cover; simmer on low until meat is fork tender, 1 to 2 more hours. Transfer pork to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
3. 3 Raise heat to high and bring sauce to a simmer. Whisk in creme fraiche. Simmer until liquid is reduced by half and is slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in a pinch of cayenne. Transfer pork back to pot; reduce heat to low. Baste pork with sauce while it heats through and becomes perfectly tender, and the sauce is as thick as you want it, about 15 more minutes.

By John Mitzewich

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• olive oil
• onion
• carrot
• garlic
• kosher salt
• butternut squash
• chicken broth
• maple syrup
• cider vinegar
• cayenne pepper
• chive
• butter
• sage leaf

Instructions

1. 1 Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. 2 Start the soup: Drizzle olive oil into large roasting pan. Add onion, carrots, garlic cloves, and a big pinch of salt; toss until vegetables are coated in oil. Place squash halves onto the chopped vegetables with the cut sides facing up. Sprinkle squash with additional salt.
3. 3 Roast in the preheated oven until squash is tender and easily pierced with the tip of a knife, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and allow vegetables to cool a bit.
4. 4 While the vegetables are cooling, make the brown butter: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When butter foams and starts to turn golden brown, reduce the heat to low. When butter turns from golden to a light, nutty brown, remove from the heat and immediately stir in sage leaves.
5. 5 Finish the soup: Scoop out squash flesh and place into a large stockpot with remaining roasted vegetables. Stir in chicken broth, brown butter mixture, and maple syrup. Place the pot over high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and slowly simmer to blend flavors, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from the heat.
6. 6 Blend with an immersion blender until very smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Pass mixture through a strainer to remove any remaining fibrous bits.
7. 7 If soup seems too thick, add a few tablespoons of water or chicken broth. Stir in cider vinegar, a pinch of salt if needed, and cayenne pepper. Garnish each serving with a dollop of crème fraîche and chopped chives.

By John Mitzewich

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• olive oil
• butter
• yellow onion
• shallot
• green onion
• salt
• black pepper
• garlic
• herbes de provence
• potato
• vegetable broth
• milk

Instructions

1. 1 Heat olive oil and butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, shallots, green onions, salt, and pepper; saute until softened and beginning to brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and herbes de Provence; saute until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Avoid burning the garlic; it will turn bitter.
2. 2 Add potatoes to onion mixture and toss well to coat. Pour in vegetable broth and milk; stir well. Cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender and can be easily broken up with a spoon, 10 to 12 minutes.
3. 3 Use a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon to roughly mash the potato chunks until the soup is relatively smooth and the largest chunks have been broken up.
4. 4 Whisk creme fraiche into the soup and taste for seasoning. Add additional pinches of salt or black pepper if the soup tastes flat.

By Lynne Polischuik

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• cherry tomato
• salt
• black pepper
• white sugar
• rice wine vinegar
• horseradish
• salt
• beef top sirloin steak
• cayenne pepper
• all-purpose flour
• vegetable oil
• water
• horseradish
• chive

Instructions

1. 1 Place cherry tomatoes into a bowl and season with black pepper, salt, and sugar. Stir in rice wine vinegar. Let stand about 15 minutes to let flavors blend.
2. 2 Stir 2 tablespoons horseradish into creme fraiche in a small bowl; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Refrigerate until needed.
3. 3 Cut steaks in half across the grain and pound each piece to about 3/8 inch thick. Season each side generously with salt, black pepper, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Lay steaks onto a work surface and sprinkle each piece lightly with flour. Pat the flour into the meat. Repeat on other side. Let meat rest for 10 minutes to let flour adhere.
4. 4 Place a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, pour in vegetable oil, and heat until small wisps of smoke are visible rising off the oil. Lay steaks into the hot oil (meat should sizzle) and sear until browned, about 2 minutes per side. When you see beef juices accumulate on the surface of the meat, flip and brown the other side, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and let rest for about 2 minutes.
5. 5 Pour excess oil from the skillet and pour water into the skillet. Scrape up and dissolve any browned meat juices from the bottom of the skillet; continue to cook until slightly thickened, about 30 seconds. Pour pan juices over tomatoes and stir to combine.
6. 6 Divide about half the tomato mixture with juice per serving into the bottom of 2 large soup plates. Top each with 2 beef medallions and a spoonful of horseradish cream. Grate about 1/2 teaspoon horseradish over each serving and top with about 1 teaspoon of chives.

By John Mitzewich

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• chicken
• salt
• black pepper
• lemon
• thyme
• garlic
• bay leaf
• olive oil
• sourdough bread
• shallot
• aleppo pepper
• lemon juice
• lemon zest
• chive blossom

Instructions

1. 1 Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
2. 2 Season chicken cavity generously with salt and black pepper. Squeeze lemon halves into cavity, then drop squeezed halves inside. Stuff cavity with thyme, garlic, and bay leaf. Set aside.
3. 3 Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil into a heavy roasting pan. Place bread slices into the pan and press lightly into oil to coat the bottoms of bread. Drizzle 1 more tablespoon oil over bread and place chicken on top. Tie legs together with kitchen twine, then brush chicken with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Season the entire outside of chicken with salt.
4. 4 Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour.
5. 5 Meanwhile, mix together crème fraîche, shallot, and Aleppo pepper in a small bowl. Stir lemon juice and lemon zest into crème fraîche mixture. Refrigerate sauce until needed.
6. 6 Lift chicken off bread slices using tongs and flip bread slices over (they will be very brown). Place chicken back onto bread slices. Generously brush the outside of chicken with crème fraîche sauce, putting enough on to drip down onto bread slices.
7. 7 Bake until sauce is browned, about 10 minutes. Repeat, brushing more crème fraîche sauce generously onto chicken. Bake for 10 more minutes. Remove chicken from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh near the bone should read at least 165 degrees F (75 degrees C).
8. 8 While chicken rests, pour remaining crème fraîche sauce into a small skillet over medium heat; bring to a boil. Cook and stir until shallot is cooked and sauce thickens slightly, 1 or 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.
9. 9 Transfer chicken and bread pieces to a cutting board. Cut bread pieces in half crosswise and arrange them on a serving platter. Cut chicken into 8 serving pieces (drumsticks, thighs, wings, and breasts) and place over bread on the platter. Drizzle thickened crème fraîche sauce over chicken and garnish with chopped chive blossoms.

By John Mitzewich

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• egg
• crabmeat
• mayonnaise
• tarragon
• mustard
• lemon juice
• hot pepper sauce
• seafood seasoning
• worcestershire sauce
• salt
• black pepper
• lemon zest
• aleppo pepper
• chive
• cayenne pepper

Instructions

1. 1 Gather all ingredients.
2. 2 Place 6 eggs in the bottom of a pan and fill with cold water to cover. Place pan over high heat and as soon as the water starts to bubble and simmer and the eggs begin to dance around, turn off the heat, cover quickly with a tight-fitting lid, and let eggs sit for 17 minutes.
3. 3 Drain hot water from pan and add cold water to cover eggs, rolling them around in the pan. Drain and refill with fresh cold water; let eggs sit until cool, about 20 minutes. Peel eggs under running water to remove shells and cut in half lengthwise.
4. 4 Separate yolks from egg halves; place yolks into a mixing bowl.
5. 5 Place crab meat onto a plate and separate into 2 equal portions, one containing the small bits and one containing the attractive larger pink chunks. Reserve portion containing larger chunks.
6. 6 Chop the portion of crab meat with the smaller chunks; add to egg yolks. Mash yolks with a fork. Stir in mayonnaise, tarragon, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, hot pepper sauce, seafood seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and black pepper.
7. 7 Transfer yolk mixture into a piping bag fitted with a medium tip. Pipe crab filling into cavities of egg halves.
8. 8 Chop largest crab pieces and place remaining crabmeat into a small bowl. Lightly stir in lemon zest, creme fraiche, Aleppo pepper, and cayenne pepper with a fork. Taste and adjust salt. If mixture seems dry, stir in more creme fraiche.
9. 9 Top each stuffed egg with a generous pinch of crab mixture.
10. 10 Sprinkle each deviled egg with a pinch of chives and a light dusting of cayenne pepper. Transfer eggs to a serving platter; refrigerate until serving time.
11. 11 Serve and enjoy.

By John Mitzewich

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• beef chuck roast
• salt
• pepper
• vegetable oil
• mushroom
• onion
• butter
• garlic
• all-purpose flour
• white wine
• beef broth
• chive
• salt
• pepper

Instructions

1. 1 Season beef generously with salt and pepper.
2. 2 Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat until nearly smoking. Stir in beef; cook, stirring constantly, for 6 to 7 minutes, until liquid evaporates and meat browns.
3. 3 Remove meat from the pan and set aside. Stir mushrooms, onions, and butter into the pan; cook and stir over medium heat until vegetables are lightly browned.
4. 4 Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Stir in flour; cook for 1 to 2 minutes until incorporated. Stir in wine and 1 cup of broth, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes.
5. 5 Return beef to the pan. Stir in remaining cup of broth; bring to a simmer and cook on low heat for about 1 hour, covered, until beef is tender and sauce is thick. Stir every 20 minutes.
6. 6 Stir in crème fraîche. Stir in chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. 7 Serve hot and enjoy!

By John Mitzewich

Ingredients

• ✓ creme fraiche
• basil
• heavy cream
• black pepper
• salt
• paprika
• thyme
• orange zest
• bay leaf
• carrot
• poblano chile
• tomato
• tomato
• chicken stock
• white wine
• onion
• butter

Instructions

1. 1 Place whole poblano peppers on the grate of a stove-top gas burner set to medium-high. Rotate peppers over the flame using a set of tongs until the outer skin blackens and blisters and is charred on all sides. Transfer peppers to a paper bag, tightly close the bag, and set aside for 20 minutes. Remove peppers from bag and peel off charred skin. Trim stems and seeds; discard. Chop peppers and set aside.
2. 2 Melt butter over medium-high heat in a large stockpot. Add onion; cook and stir until lightly browned around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. 3 Pour wine into the pot over onions; bring to a boil while scraping any browned bits off of the bottom of the pot. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until onions are well browned, about 5 minutes.
4. 4 Stir in chicken stock, fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes, poblano chiles, carrot, bay leaf, orange zest, thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf and discard.
5. 5 Pour the mixture into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the mixture moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth. Strain soup through a fine mesh sieve back into the stockpot. Alternately, use a stick blender and puree the mixture right in the pot.
6. 6 Return pureed soup to a simmer; stir in cream. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve topped with a dollop of creme fraiche and chopped basil.

By Duck Soup