How to Cook With Truffles
How to Cook With Truffles
If you're cooking for a special someone and want to make a dish that will really impress, or you're planning your Christmas menu and want to add a little something extra special, a few shavings of truffle could be just the ingredient you are looking for.
Truffles are the fruit of a certain type of fungi that grow in the roots of trees, particularly oak trees. They are found mainly in Italy and France and some other European countries, although some varieties are found in the US and other countries.
The most prized and most expensive variety is the white truffle (sometimes called Alba). Black truffles are also very popular in cooking and are cheaper as they can be found in a wider geographical area.
Cooking with white truffles
White truffles have a very delicate flavour and it is important to keep the dish simple so that their natural aroma will shine through. They should also not be heated to high temperatures so it is often best to add them to the dish after cooking.
Pasta dishes and risottos are common dishes that can be enhanced with white truffle. Scrambled eggs, omelettes and other egg dishes also complement the delicate flavour well. Generally just adding a few shavings to the dish before serving will make a huge difference.
Cooking with black truffles
Black truffles are more robust than their white cousins and they have an earthy, almost chocolatey flavour. Unlike the white variety, heat actually enhances the flavour of black truffles but they should be warmed gently rather than actually cooked.
Egg dishes also work well with the black variety and an omelet or scrambled eggs cooked with butter and some shaved black truffle mixed in can be sublime. Other bland foods like pasta and potato are also delicious when flavoured with black truffle, particularly if stirred into a creamy sauce.
Truffles are normally used in savoury dishes, however, there are some desserts that can be transformed with the addition of a few shavings of black truffle. Try it with panna cotta or custard.
Cooking with preserved truffles
Fresh truffles are always the best but if you wish to cook a recipe out of season or you can't afford to buy fresh, truffle oil can give you some of that special flavour. The oil or water can be added to dishes directly. Preserved truffles are best if they are sliced thinly and cooked in a little oil or butter before adding to your dish.
Preserved truffles can usually be kept in the fridge for a couple of weeks after opening the jar or can.
If you're cooking for a special someone and want to make a dish that will really impress, or you're planning your Christmas menu and want to add a little something extra special, a few shavings of truffle could be just the ingredient you are looking for.
Truffles are the fruit of a certain type of fungi that grow in the roots of trees, particularly oak trees. They are found mainly in Italy and France and some other European countries, although some varieties are found in the US and other countries.
The most prized and most expensive variety is the white truffle (sometimes called Alba). Black truffles are also very popular in cooking and are cheaper as they can be found in a wider geographical area.
Cooking with white truffles
White truffles have a very delicate flavour and it is important to keep the dish simple so that their natural aroma will shine through. They should also not be heated to high temperatures so it is often best to add them to the dish after cooking.
Pasta dishes and risottos are common dishes that can be enhanced with white truffle. Scrambled eggs, omelettes and other egg dishes also complement the delicate flavour well. Generally just adding a few shavings to the dish before serving will make a huge difference.
Cooking with black truffles
Black truffles are more robust than their white cousins and they have an earthy, almost chocolatey flavour. Unlike the white variety, heat actually enhances the flavour of black truffles but they should be warmed gently rather than actually cooked.
Egg dishes also work well with the black variety and an omelet or scrambled eggs cooked with butter and some shaved black truffle mixed in can be sublime. Other bland foods like pasta and potato are also delicious when flavoured with black truffle, particularly if stirred into a creamy sauce.
Truffles are normally used in savoury dishes, however, there are some desserts that can be transformed with the addition of a few shavings of black truffle. Try it with panna cotta or custard.
Cooking with preserved truffles
Fresh truffles are always the best but if you wish to cook a recipe out of season or you can't afford to buy fresh, truffle oil can give you some of that special flavour. The oil or water can be added to dishes directly. Preserved truffles are best if they are sliced thinly and cooked in a little oil or butter before adding to your dish.
Preserved truffles can usually be kept in the fridge for a couple of weeks after opening the jar or can.
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