Recipes that feature cream

[amitys]

Hello,

I had a look around the boards as well as I could and did find lots of posts about cream, but mostly featuring desserts.

I'm lucky enough to be able to purchase unpasteurized heavy cream, milk, etc. from a small dairy that has five Jersey cows. I just bought a quart of cream, and because it's just the right time of year, it's perfectly gorgeous, thick, just amazing. I would like to make a dinner featuring this cream, but I'd rather not do soup or pasta just because that's what I usually do. I am going to be making some marscapone cheese with some of it, but there will still be a lot left over.

Does anybody have any suggestions? Thank you in advance!

[chefathome]

Lots of great ideas. I would add panna cotta to the list.

[soupkitten]

definitely eat a little raw cream w fresh berries right away.

also want to put in a word for morel sauce with cream, and a classic french tarragon cream sauce for chicken.

[goodhealthgourmet]

you've gotten so many wonderful suggestions already, and i know someone mentioned biscuits but i also wanted to toss savory scones into the mix.

[Candy]

With cream that good and delicious I'd want it to shine. There are very few people who know anymore, what uncooked cream tastes like. If you use it to cook with you may as well use the ordinary ultra-pasteurized stuff we get in regular stores. Make a fabulous shortcake with real shortcake, not those marryanns sold in grocery stores. let that flavor sing. Make ice cream that incorporates whipped cream. If you cannot get a recipe, I have one for Cinnamon Ice Cream I'd be glad to share. Show that stuff off as it is!

[Passadumkeg]

New England Chowders us a LOT OF CREAM. Clam, fish& seafood chowders are cream based and do not use flour as a thickener. Lobster and shrimp bisque. And scallop, lobster and oyster stews are almost pure cream. don't for get to increase your Lipitor, though.

[JeremyEG]

But decrease your Prosac. I think you'll be pretty happy if you make a chowder with cream that good. : )
JeremyEG
HomeCookLocavore.com

[Passadumkeg]

Good food is my Prosac.

[sherriberry]

Use it to make a bechamel sauce as a base for mac and cheese, potatoes au gratin, sausage gravy over biscuits. Works well in quiche. I also like to pan sear chicken breasts or pork chops, remove from pan and keep warm. Add butter and sautee some mushsrooms. With mushrooms still in pan, deglaze w/ a little white wine, let reduce a minute, then add cream, thmye, salt and pepper. Reduce as desired and add a shot of dijon mustard at the end.

[alkapal]

sherri, in my humble opinion, cream for sausage gravy is way too rich. in fact, my mom would even use just water and flour usually -- but that was from her experience with her mama's depression era cooking. i use milk -- and sprinkle the cooked sausage with flour, brown to take off the raw flour taste, then slowly add in milk.

i do like the idea of a mushroom bisque!

[sherriberry]

It is rich, but you could use less cream and add more milk. I usually do mostly milk for sausage gravy but add a bit of cream because I like the richness.I only make this a few times a year, however. I'm still waiting for the government reports that a combo of butter and cream cures cancer.

[amitys]

Oh man, I'm waiting for that report too!

[alkapal]

craig claiborne's potato cheese gratin! http://events.nytimes.com/recipes/2303/1986/11/30/Gratin-Dauphinois-Chez-Lily-Et-Gaby-Lily-And-Gabys-Potato-Gratin/recipe.html -- my top choice for cream!!!!!
blanquette de veau
quenelles de brochet au sauce americaine http://www.foodista.com/recipe/T357TJ...

[amitys]

Thank you, thank you! Looks delicious.

[amitys]

In your opinion, are russets absolutely necessary? I tend to enjoy red potatoes with cream sauces and wondered what that would be like, substituted. I'm not really an expert on potatoes.

[alkapal]

amitys,

no, russets are not absolutely essential -- i've used red bliss and i've used yukons. i DO think, however, that you should do it the first time with the russets, so you will know. they have a more substantial (dare i say "meaty"?) character that works nicely in the gratin and -- more importantly -- i think they absorb more of the creamy, buttery, cheesy goodness. personally, i don't care for them sliced too thinly -- but try it both ways.

[amitys]

Okay! Sounds like a plan, I'll try that way first. Thanks for the advice!

[alkapal]

try the classic first.

[escondido123]

I find that the russets get softer so the dish begins to veer towards mashed potatoes in a very good way. I've also made it with other potatoes and had same great flavor just different textures. It is also wonderful with half of the potatoes replaced with either sweet potatoes or celariac.

[JeremyEG]

My wife worked in Italy for a year and when I went to visit her, she made me a spectacular pasta that was really one of the best things I had ever tasted. She had simply reduced down some very good cream (though possibly not as good as yours!) and tossed in some cracked pepper, salt and fresh pasta. Dear God is that good.
Enjoy and please report back.
JeremyEG
HomeCookLocavore.com

p.s. Where is the farm? I'd love to know more about it!

[amitys]

Oh yum!!! That sounds lovely, thank you. The farm is in McDonald, PA, just outside of Pittsburgh. It's about a half mile off of US Route 22. The farmer and his wife are just wonderful, it's been such a pleasure to be able to get such amazing things from them. He just has this beautiful small farm, absolutely sparkling clean, red barn, old white house, just like in a postcard. It was sick, really, when my mom and I drove up to check out the place. Totally quintessential Americana farm.

In the barn he has a pretty modern walk-in where he keeps huge buckets of milk, cream, etc. You pay on the honor system, there's a little container that you put your money in and you take what you need. He said that if he comes up short that day, he just figures someone needed the milk more than him. Really nice people!

[mamachef]

Lovvvvve that.

[alkapal]

>>>>>> It was sick, really, when my mom and I drove up to check out the place.<<<<<<

amitys -- is this your slang for it was "great"?

[amitys]

Yes, I was laughing at myself because before I arrived there for the first time, I had that picture in my head and was cautioning myself that it probably wouldn't be like that, but it was!

[buttertart]

Lost in a daze of memories of Jersey cream and milk and ice cream made from the cream...my favorite cow. So pretty, too. The local dairy was all-Jersey when I was a little girl.
If any of it goes a bit sour, DO NOT throw it out (I beg you), make cream biscuits with it and you'll remember them the rest of your life.

[amitys]

Oh wow, I'm so glad you told me this! I just used some in a drop biscuit recipe that is in my oven as we speak. Jersey cows are so pretty, I agree. I want to hug them when I see them.

[buttertart]

They must be ready by now, can I have one? :)

[amitys]

They were quite good! Wish I could have made one appear on your desk. :D

[buttertart]

You did, virtually!

[chef chicklet]

basil cream biscuits - really good. I would imagine you could add any herb to the biscuit mix. Did these when I was perfecting my biscuit baking.

Lucky you, I've cut down on cream so much but gosh, there is a great seafood curry I make that uses, more cream. I know, not legit curry, but it tastes delicious. Shrimp & scallops star.

[amitys]

Ooooh, do tell. I love the combo of seafood/cream!

[buttertart]

That sounds super, do tell!

[amitys]

Forgot to mention, I'd been searching for about two years for a source of raw milk in my area. I had absolutely no idea that there's this huge raw milk issue/debate going on and kind of am amazed at how big of a deal people make out of it. My mother wouldn't even drink the milk or eat anything I made with it at first. Other people also tell me about how I could get sick, etc. as if I'm stupid. LOL!

[alkapal]

isn't it amazing how people have been drinking unpasteurized milk for millennia without any problem?!

[amitys]

I know, no kidding. What would we do without the good old USDA!

[chef chicklet]

I bet there would be few allergy problems. And the health benefits, wow.

[amitys]

Yeah, from what I hear it's pretty much the same health benefits as yogurt, in a much cheaper package. A few farmers that I've talked to about it have told me that they believe the USDA is being such a PITA about raw milk because of the probiotics industry, which just happens to be absolutely huge right now.

[alkapal]

i think the usda is trying to get into nanny statism beyond even what anyone thinks is reasonable. they sued that penn. farmer for taking some raw milk to maryland on an ORDER from the customer. these govt. people are out of control. the milk was perfectly fine -- jut UNpasteurized. geesh, i get so frustrated with this crap.

[eight_inch_pestle]

It won't get rid of more than a couple tablespoons at a time, but fine heavy cream really shines in both omelets and slow-cooked scrambled eggs. Assuming it's non-homogenized, tiny dollops of the solids are also delightful stirred into the scrambled eggs just before plating or dropped on the omelet just before folding, as you would cream cheese or sour cream.

[amitys]

Oh wow, yeah, that sounds excellent. I also have access to farm fresh eggs so I'm going to pair these two with the cream solids, thank you! I can't make an omelet to save my life, it's embarrassing and I feel like a total failure, so it'll be in scrambled eggs!

[escondido123]

Steep garlic cloves in cream for about half an hour, then take out garlic. Slice potatoes thin, layer in large, shallow casserole, salt and pepper between layer. Top potatoes with cheese of your choice--I like Gruyere or Parmigiano best--and then pour cream all over top until it comes about halfway to two thirds up the side. Bake until golden and tender in 375 degree oven

[amitys]

That sounds delicious, wow, definitely adding this to the repertoire. Thank you!

[Sailing77]

Last weekend I made Steak au Poivre. That is a great use for cream that would fit your criteria.

[MandalayVA]

Reduce the cream to your liking, add the seasonings of your choice and you have a great sauce for vegetables.

[Jme]

Along these lines, there is a fantastic recipe in Amanda Hesser's new Essential New York Times Cookbook for Beets in Lime Cream - you cook the beets in a sauce of reduced cream with lime zest and serve over the steamed beet greens. It is unbelievably delicious - we made it three weeks in a row after we discovered it. I think the recipe also appeared in the New York Times, if you search there.

[MandalayVA]

Wow, something that might make me want to eat beets! Thanks for the tip.

[Isolda]

Oh my. You've just corrupted my beets. We get them every week from our CSA these days, and I've been doing, you know, healthy, stuff with them. That sauce sounds evil. Can't wait to try it!

[amitys]

Yeah, that sounds pretty good. I've never really tried beets, but have been wanting to. Thanks for the tip! I've decided to freeze the cream for now and take it to Florida with me on a trip, where I'll be able to pair it with fresh seafoods, and perhaps beets!

[biondanonima]

Great idea. I have a recipe (from Epi, I think?) for Brussels sprouts that are braised in cream and then garnished with a gremolata of pecans, lemon zest and fresh basil - they are delicious (although not in season right now unfortunately!).

[amitys]

That sounds great. I'll keep it in mind because we are growing brussels sprouts this year, and I'll be wanting to try new recipes later when they come into season!

[monavano]

Chicken paillard in a sherry cream sauce. Add some pink and green crushed peppercorns.
Make a decadent gorgonzola sauce for steak.
Sauteed mushrooms with a cognac cream sauce. Server over grilled steak, chicken, pork.

[biondanonima]

Savory custard of some type - I've had delicious parmesan custards, for instance. A savory creme anglais poured over a savory bread pudding? A creamed chicken dish of some type?

[amitys]

Hmm, good thought on the custard. I've never made a savory custard before!

[roxlet]

My DH makes a parmesan custard that he floats in an asparagus soup, also made with some cream. Incredibly delicious and incredibly decadent!

[amitys]

Oh wow, that sounds like a keeper as well.

[monavano]

Alfredo sauce, pasta optional. There's just nothing like splurging on the calories and making it with cream and good Parm.

[amitys]

Yeah, that was what I was thinking, but we just had pasta yesterday. I'm not a good planner! Thank you very much, though. :)

[masha]

Thanks for this suggestion. I too had cream that I was looking to use up, so made fettucine alfredo last night. Used the recipe from Marcella Hazan's cookbook and was amazed how little time it took. Never made it before, but I will again.