Capellini With Chive Blossoms And Creme Fraiche Food

CAPELLINI WITH CHIVE BLOSSOMS AND CREME FRAICHE

Steps:

• Stir together 3/4 cup creme fraiche, the chive blossoms, chives, and lemon juice to taste. Season with salt.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup pasta water. Toss pasta with butter and creme fraiche mixture, adding enough pasta water to make a light sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
• Place a small dollop of remaining creme fraiche in each of 4 to 6 dishes, and sprinkle with chive blossoms and chives. Divide pasta among dishes. Top with caviar and more creme fraiche. Press egg white and yolk through a sieve, then sprinkle over pasta. Serve immediately.

CRèME FRAîCHE AND CHIVE MASHED POTATOES

Steps:

• Bring 3 quarts water to boil in heavy medium pot. Add 2 tablespoons coarse salt; add potatoes. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 18 minutes. Drain. Press potatoes through ricer into large bowl. Cover bowl with clean towel to keep warm.
• Heat milk, crème fraîche, and butter in saucepan over medium heat, just until bubbles begin to form at edge, stirring until butter melts. Gradually mix hot milk mixture into potatoes. Fold in chives. Season with coarse salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 hour ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Reheat in microwave-safe bowl.
• Available at most supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.

LEMON CHIVE CREME FRAICHE

Steps:

• In a bowl, mix together creme fraiche, lemon juice and chives. Season to taste with the salt and pepper.

CHIVE BLINI WITH CAVIAR AND CREME FRAICHE

Steps:

• In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine flour, egg, milk, 1 tablespoon butter, chives, and salt. Whisk just until ingredients come together. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 1 hour. Set a medium nonstick pan over low heat and brush with melted butter. Pour approximately 1 teaspoon of the batter into the pan, and repeat leaving some space between pancakes. When bubbles appear on the surface of the pancakes (about 1 to 2 minutes), flip them over with a spatula. Continue cooking for 1 minute more or until the pancakes are golden brown on both sides.
• Serve with a tiny dollop of creme fraiche and an even tinier dollop of the caviar of your choice (paddle fish, hackleback, golden whitefish and tobiko all work well.)

CRABMEAT CROSTINI WITH CHIVES AND CRèME FRAîCHE

Steps:

• Shred crabmeat. Add celery, green onions, chives, and lemon peel; toss. Add next 5 ingredients. Season with salt. Cover; chill at least 2 hours. Do ahead: Can be made 1 day ahead; keep chilled.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange baguette slices in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Brush both sides of bread with oil. Bake until lightly browned, turning once, about 16 minutes. Do ahead: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool. Store crostini in resealable plastic bags at room temperature.
• Preheat broiler. Arrange toasts on baking sheet. Spread 1 heaping tablespoon crabmeat mixture onto each; sprinkle with cheese. Broil until cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Serve warm.

CHIVE BLINI WITH CREME FRAICHE, QUAIL EGGS, AND TARRAGON

Steps:

• Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Coarsely chop enough tarragon leaves to make 6 tablespoons, and set chopped leaves aside. Reserve remaining sprigs for garnish. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil; add 1 teaspoon salt. Add scallions, and cook until bright green and just tender, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add tarragon leaves, and cook until bright green, about 20 seconds; immediately transfer scallions and tarragon to the ice-water bath. Let cool completely.
• Drain scallions and tarragon, then squeeze dry in a clean kitchen towel. Coarsely chop, then transfer to a food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Add mustard. With machine running, add oil in a slow, steady stream; process until smooth and thickened, about 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl; stir in creme fraiche. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve (up to 2 days).
• Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Place a dozen eggs in a saucepan large enough to hold them in a single layer; cover with cold water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer eggs to the ice-water bath, and let cool. Meanwhile, repeat with remaining eggs. Peel eggs, dipping them in cold water if needed to remove shell pieces. (Peeled eggs can be refrigerated in an airtight container overnight.)
• Pick 4 dozen small leaf clusters from remaining tarragon sprigs; set aside. Halve eggs lengthwise. Arrange blini on a platter. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon sauce in center of blini. Top each with half an egg, 1/4 teaspoon roe, and a tarragon cluster.

ASPARAGUS FRITTATA WITH CREME FRAICHE AND CHIVES

Steps:

• Preheat broiler. Whisk eggs, 1/4 cup chives, parsley, Parmesan cheese, half and half, salt and pepper in larg bowl until just blended. Melt butter and oil in heavy nonstick 10-inch diameter omelette pan over medium heat. Add asparagus and onion and sauté until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Pour egg mixtre over asparagus . Reduce heat to low; cook until edges are just set, about 3 minutes. Using heat-proof spatula, lift cooked edges of egg mixture and tilt pan so uncooked eggs run beneath. Continue cooking until egg mixture is nearly set on top, about 5 minutes. Broil until just puffed and lightly golden on top, about 2 minutes.
• Slide spatula under frittata to loosen. Slide out onto cutting board. Cut frittata into 1-inch squares (can be made 2 hours ahead of time. Let stand at room temperature).
• Arrange squares on serving platter. Spoon dollop of creme fraiche atop each square. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chives and serve.