Eat & Say Farewell to Ambrosial Truffle Delights

As the winter season draws to an end, so too does the Australian Truffle season! August is your last change to indulge in the ambrosial delight of fresh home grown truffles.  They are amongst the most luxurious ingredients in the world and are commonly referred to as the “diamonds of cooking”, “black gold”, and even “food's holy grail.” There are over 70 types of truffles around the word but few, with the exception of the white truffle, have the aromatic or culinary appeal of Tuber Melanosporum, the black truffle.

The annual Truffle Kerfuffle Festival sees producers, chefs, food industry members and the public come together and enjoy all that the Southern Forest region has to offer. Around Australia, as is the case around the world, truffles are prized by top chefs and award winning restaurants; accordingly, future Truffle Kerfuffle festivals plan to include truffle hunts, truffle grading classes as well as masterclasses showcasing skills and techniques from some of Australia’s finest chef’s.

Emphasizing the Truffle Flavour

Truffles are paradoxically both subtle and powerful, impregnating their concentrated aroma and flavour to the foods around them. Accompany Ingredients should therefore be carefully chosen so as to emphasize the complex, fine notes of the truffle. Never mix truffles with ingredients that have strong aromas or flavours since this will overpower the truffle’s qualities!  Regardless of the dish, truffles should always be the centre of attention. 

Tips for Cooking with Truffles:
 

- It is highly recommended to shave, peel or thinly slice truffles. Small quantities will transform a basic dish; as a reference 8 to 12 g per person are enough. Any less will create a disappointing culinary experience, more may be overassertive.

- Depending on the recipe, truffles might be used peeled or unpeeled; in the first case always save the peel for later, this is will be a fantastic ingredient to be added in sauces or on top of a dish.

- Australian black truffles are wonderful when cooked. Their flavour and scent will be strongly infused into the dish. They also create a good contrast with vegetables such as celery roots and leeks.

- Pasta, rice and potatoes are some of the simplest, most common foods that work marvellously well with truffles. Likewise fats, such as foie gras, cheese, oil and butter enhance the truffle’s flavour and create an overall harmony of texture.

Now that you have an overview of the basics, we invite you to try some home grown Truffle Recipes. Award winning chef David Comer, formerly of Star Anise and co owner of Pata Negra in Nedlands WA, shares with us some of his favourite rustic truffle dishes that you can make at home.

SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH TRUFFLES

Serves 1

Ingredients : 

-3 free range eggs

-1tbsp of unsalted butter

-50ml cream

-1x 30g truffle (should be plenty for 4-6 portions)

-A large pinch of sea salt

-2 turns of black pepper

Method:  Wisk eggs & cream until combined.  Melt butter in a small non stick pan over medium heat and add egg mixture; stir until moist curds form and remove from heat. Fold in some finely chopped truffle (about a teaspoon per serve), salt & pepper then serve on toasted sourdough with some truffle shavings on top.

STEAK SANDWICH

Serves 4

Ingredients:   Wagyu carpaccio, Manjimup black truffle, ortiz anchovy, manchego & olives

200g Margaret river wagyu fillet or sirloin marble score at least 7 trimmed of all coverage fat and sinew

1 small Manjimup truffle (about 30 grams)

4 ortiz anchovies thinly sliced on an angle into 2cm strips

60g manchego shaved

1 shallot peeled thinly shaved and washed in iced water

2 cups mixed micro greens, rocket, cabbage, mache (available at boatshed market)

Or some nice small rocket leaves

1 section of stale baguette about 12 cm long

1 tablespoon of salted baby capers, well rinsed and blanched from a cold water start

Then rinsed again in cold water, marinated in a little cabernet vinegar

Olive Dressing

10 kalamata olives pitted

1 tablespoon cabernet vinegar ( use forum brand from Spain from Simon Johnson)

100 ml extra virgin olive oil

Leaves of 2 sprigs of thyme 

Method:  Create the sandwich.

MANJIMUP SALAD

“The best ever potato salad celebrating winter produce from one of the most beautiful regions in the world,” David Coomer. 

Serves 1 

Ingredients :

1 x 200g marron

Court bouillon for cooking

4 small kipfler potatoes

Micro mache leaves

5 slices black truffle

5 chervil sprigs

3 slices crisp pancetta

1tsp chardonnay vinegar

4tsp olive oil

1tsp dijon mustard

Sea salt &  pepper

Method:  Cook the marron in a court bouillon for 5 mins, refresh, peel and slice.  Cook the kipflers in well salted water until al dente; peel while still warm then combine vinegar, mustard, oil and seasoning for dressing.  Slice potatoes into neat disks, reheat and add remaining ingredients.  Dress liberally (not all the dressing will be required).  Toss carefully and arrange nicely on a plate.