Advice You Can Chew On: Appetizers & Creme Fraiche

Welcome to the first installment of the culinary advice column, Advice You Can Chew On. Throughout the week I received some great questions from readers who needed new ideas for dinner dishes and on the subtle differences between similar ingredients.  I combine my culinary experience, knowledge, and hours of personal research, to give you the best possible answer that you won’t find on regular search engines.

Enough with the romance, I give you, Free Spirit Eater’s: Advice You Can Chew On. Let’s begin.

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Dear FreeSpirit,

I am fresh out of dinner ideas. Please give me some suggestions! Also, what are your favorite party appetizers? H-E-L-P!

Elizabeth F., Hendersonville, NC

Here are some delicious and versatile recipes that both you and your family can enjoy. Marinate  skirt steak in oil, minced garlic, cumin, mustard powder and soy sauce anywhere from 1 hour to overnight. Then grill and slice thinly for fajitas and tacos or to pair with your favorite pasta and veggies. You may also beat the steak thin, layer with prosciutto and parmesan cheese.  Roll, then tie it with butcher’s string and brown on all sides. De-glaze the pan with red wine, and add tomato sauce. Cook on low heat for two hours until it falls apart like pot roast. Can be served with pasta using the braising liquid as sauce.

Always keep bell peppers, onions and garlic handy. Slice them up and saute in oil, with your favorite meat for stir fry and seasonal veggies such as asparagus, add some teriyaki and soy sauce (I always keep a bottle of each in the fridge) a spoonful of brown sugar ,very little salt (since the sauces already have high contents of it) ground pepper and your favorite spices (mustard powder and cumin are my secret weapons).  Place over rice, mashed potatoes or your favorite noodles.

Party appetizers are some of my favorite things to make. If savory is what you are looking for, mix cooked chopped spinach, roasted cherry tomatoes, chopped garlic, salt and pepper. Place a spoonful over a 1/4 inch thick slice of French bread. Top with brie cheese and place under the broiler or in a 350 degree oven until the cheese melts. Sprinkle some lemon zest on top before served. You can even add a slice of left over skirt steak under the cheese. You can make a meal from just about anything. Wrapping a skinless boneless chicken breast in aluminum foil and placed in the oven after having been marinated overnight, with more vegetables and a splash of cider for 35-45 minutes at 350 degrees can be pulled apart and placed on a party appetizer, salad, quesadilla, pasta, or tossed with bbq sauce and placed between two slices of bread.  For something more sweet, check out my cheesecake stuffed strawberry recipe, which also doubles as an after dinner treat.

Dear FreeSpirit,

What is the difference between creme fraiche and sour cream? Can they be used interchangeably in recipes?

-Patty, East Meadow, NY

That is a really great question. I’m sure we have all heard the words creme fraiche (French for fresh cream) quite a bit lately. I couldn’t help but smile and think of the recent South Park episode that poked fun at the word and the tv chef’s who make our eyes roll back (not in a good way). Some people believe that there is no difference between the two, that the term is just a fancy French term for sour cream. To help you better understand, I am going to tell you how each is made.  The next time someone asks, you can give a scientific response.

Sour cream is made by adding a bacterial culture (streptococcus lactis) to pasteurized, homogenized light cream. Creme fraiche is made from a heated combination of heavy cream and buttermilk. The heavy cream must not be ultra pasteurized and the buttermilk must have active cultures. The ratio of heavy cream to buttermilk is 16 to 1. Creme fraiche is also thinner and richer than sour cream, but similar in it’s tart and tangy flavor. They can generally be interchanged in recipes, but creme fraiche has the advantage in that it will not curdle when boiled, and can be whipped like whipping cream. It’s best to use your judgement when deciding which texture you prefer with the recipe. If you desire the finished result to be fluffier, you would opt for creme fraiche.  Creme fraiche has an underlying nutty flavor which may impact your recipe.

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Thank you to everyone who sent in questions. You may submit your own questions here.  Please come back next week for more culinary answers, advice, and suggestions. Until then, remember to never settle for anything less than delicious. =]