I do a pasta sauce regularly using Creme Fraiche, with a chicken stock cube dissolved in a very small amount of water. Here is one recipe I use it with:
I breast of chicken, trimmed and diced into chunks
4ozs sugar snap peas
1 medium onion or 2 shallots
4 ozs mushrooms
2 cloves garlic
Olive oil,
Salt
Pepper
Chicken stock cube
glass white wine or dry sherry
Tub of half fat creme fraiche
Grated parmesan (about 1 oz)
Grated rind and juice of 1/2 lemon
Teaspoon of sugar
75 - 100g of pasta (Penne rigate or spirals)
Torn leaves of Basil or parsley
Directions:
Chop the onions, garlic and mushrooms. Trim the sugar snap peas. Make up small quantity of stock with the stock cube, the wine and some boiling water. Add the lemon juice and sugar. Put the pasta on to boil for 10 - 12 minutes.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the onions and garlic until translucent. Add the chicken and continue to stir fry.Add the mushrooms and fry until starting to wilt. Add the sugar snap peas and stir fry for a few minutes. Add the stock and wine mixture and continue to cook for a few minutes until the peas are cooked but still have some bite and the stock is reduced somewhat. Remove from the heat. Drain the pasta, and empty into the pan with the chicken and vegetables. Tip in the Parmesan, the basil, and two to four dessertspoons of Creme fraiche and stir together until well mixed and serve.
Variations:
Can be served with variations on the chicken - substitute, ham, or uncooked prawns and/or scallops.
The sugar snap peas can be substituted by green beans, mange tout or courgettes, asparagus tips and or spinach or rocket leaves.