The Secret Ingredient: Crème Fraîche

Ingredients

• 0.3 cup plus light
• 2 cups crème fraîche 
• 1 teaspoon thyme sprigs fresh plus more for garnish
• 0.5 cup gruyere cheese grated
• 1 tablespoon mint leaves fresh plus more for garnish
• 0.5  parmesan grated
• 1 pound peas frozen
• 4 servings crème fraîche sweet with shallots, mint, and crème fraîche
• 4 servings salt and pepper 
• 0.5 large shallots minced
• 0.5 cup cheddar cheese white grated
• 0.5 cup sugar 
• 2 teaspoons butter unsalted
• 1 pound mostaccioli pasta grated
• 0.5 cup zucchini grated ()

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• whisk
• pot
• loaf pan
• baking pan

Directions

1. For the sweet spring peas with shallots, mint, and crème fraîche: Bring a pot of water to a boil, and salt it well.
2. Add the peas, and blanch for 2 minutes.
3. Drain, and shock in ice water.
4. Meanwhile, sauté the shallot in the butter on medium-low heat in a wide sauté pan. Season with salt and pepper, and sauté just until the shallot is soft and translucent.
5. Add the peas to the butter and shallot, and heat through, allowing all excess water to evaporate. Turn off the heat, and add the crème fraîche and mint.
6. Serve!
7. For the mac and cheese: Preheat the oven to 375°F.
8. Bring a large pot of water to boil, and salt it well. Boil the pasta until just shy of al dente.
9. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together the crème fraîche, zucchini, all of the fontina, Gruyère, and cheddar, and half the Parmesan.
10. Add the thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Stir until it is all perfectly combined.
11. Drain the pasta, and toss well with the crème fraîche and cheese mixture. Decant into a buttered baking dish, and sprinkle the top with the remaining Parmesan.
12. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden.
13. Let stand 5 minutes before serving, and garnish with some fresh thyme.
14. Whisk everything together, then decant into a loaf pan. Freeze until firm (several hours), and serve with raspberries and blackberries.