I use sour cream with a heavy hand in my cooking, often spooning a dollop into soups or dressing vegetables and fruit with it. Its billowy softness reminds me of whipped cream, and its velvety tartness balances the fiery
heat of chiles while also enlivening the earthy flavor of beans and lentils.
Like most cultured dairy foods, sour cream is easy to make—you simply whisk a starter into fresh cream and let the beneficial bacteria do their work, turning the fresh sweet cream into something thick and sour. I typically use buttermilk to culture my sour cream, but you can substitute any yogurt you might have on hand if no buttermilk lurks in your refrigerator.

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pour the cream into a bowl and whisk in the buttermilk until the buttermilk fully dissolves.
2. Pour the inoculated cream into a pint-sized jar and cover with a lid.
3. Let the cream culture at room temperature for 18 to 24 hours, until thickened and soured to your liking.
4. Transfer the sour cream to the refrigerator and use it up within about 6 weeks.