Your Favorite Fresh Truffle Recipe

[Abra]

I'm kind of surprised that this thread doesn't already exist, but I've searched going back at least a couple of years, and I don't see a comprehensive truffle recipe round-up.

So, yesterday I attended a big truffle festival. I came home with three small truffles, and I want to put them to the best possible use. One I've made into a compound butter and frozen, and the other two are hanging out with some eggs and rice for a day or two while I figure out what to do with them. I have guests coming on Friday, and I think they're gonna get lucky.

If you have something utterly delicious to suggest, please, make us all happy!

[Lisa Picoleuse]

I have found that my favourite flavour recipient for truffles are eggs and cream. The fat absorbs the flavor so nicely and you can cook them very quickly so you don't lose the lovely delicate earthy flavours.

At Christmas (and New Year's to be honest) we made oeufs cocotte à la truffe, which is super simple and super delicious.

There is a decent recipe here if you can read french, but the basic process is the following...

Per person

1 egg (preferably stored with truffle for min. 24 hours)

15 g black truffle

1 Tbsp fresh cream

butter

salt and pepper to taste

Thinly slice truffle - leave one or two beautiful slices as garnish and chop up the other slices.

Heat up cream and add the chopped truffles. Leave to steep.

Butter bottom and sides of 8 cm diameter ramekins (or even better dedicated cocottes with lids).

Add half of the truffle-infused cream (with the truffle peices) to the ramekin then the egg then the truffles slices and then the remaining cream. Salt and pepper.

Put the ramekin(s) into a bain-marie and into a preheated 220C oven for 5-7 minutes. I like the white to be just barely cooked when I pull them out. The yolk should definitely still be runny.

Serve with a good baguette or toasted pain de campagne.

[ermintrude]

Roast Chicken,

Thinly slice a black truffle and layer the slices between the skin and breast, leg meet of the chicken. If you've some truffed butter place this under the skin as well.

Wrap the ckicken tighltly in cling film of foil and leave for 24 hours.

Unwrap the chicken and cover the skin with loads of butter and roast till done.

Yum

[Abra]

Those both look very good, as does the one you linked to, Lisa, thanks! Anyone else have a different take on truffles?

[Dave Hatfield]

You could try to get a copy of: Les Bonnes Recettes de la Truffe by Guy Monier. Published in 2002 by Aubanel. This little 100 page book has nothing but truffle recipes and truffle lore.

Amazon France probably has it.

Its in French, but that shouldn't be a problem for you.

[Lindacakes]

One of the finest meals of my life occured in San Gimingnano, Italy and included a wonderful risotto with white truffles.

Sigh.

[ermintrude]

Truffled Chicken

(Serves 2)

Prepare 2 days before.

1 Poulet de Bresse (Or similar good organic free range chicken) 1.4 – 1.6Kg

30g of fresh Pergourd black truffle

125g Butter

5 table spoons of good brandy

Grate of Nutmeg

1 Small bay leaf.

Starting from the neck end of the chicken, using your hand, carefully loosen the skin on each side of the breast and over the thigh.

Warm the butter over a low heat until it is liquid, carefully skin off any scum and pour the clarified butter into a bowl and allow to cool slightly.

Thinly peal the truffles and roughly chop the peelings.

Slice the truffle into approximately 1-2mm slices (i.e thin)

Dip the truffle slices into the clarified butter and push them under the skin of the chicken over the breast and thighs and distribute evenly.

Pour the clarified butter into a small saucepan and add the truffle peelings, heat on high until it starts to sizzle then turn down to low and fry gently for 4minutes, swirling the pan now and again ensure no hot spots. Remove from the cooker; add the bay leaf, a good grate of nutmeg, stir and cover with a lid, and leave to stand for 10 minutes. Stir, cover and place in freezer, stir occasionally with a fork to distribute the truffle peelings and incorporate the brandy and leave until set but not solid. When it’s set but not solid, remove from the freezer and give it a good stir. Don’t worry if the butter is grainy, and some liquid has separated out as this is normal.

Get a sheet of tinfoil and place the chicken in the middle, make sure you have enough tin foil so you seal it into a parcel later. (Using two crossed sheets is a good way to get a good seal). Cover the breast and thighs of the chicken with the truffle butter using your hands to smear it evenly. Make sure the the closure allows you to easily expose the breast later.

Leave in the fridge for 24 – 48 hours – you may want to cover the chicken in cling film to keep the smell in! Roast for the first 30 minutes in the foil then open the foil to get the breast golden

Edited January 23, 2008 by ermintrude (log)