Monday, March 10, 2008
Truffle Butter
I thought it would be interesting to make a list of what I think of as ‘special’ food items, ingredients that offer a lot of flavor without asking for special treatment.
Top of my list is truffle butter; it is tremendously versatile, turning plain grilled meats, boiled pasta or a plate of sautéed mushrooms into party pieces. A truffle tastes like a mushroom that took steroids to become a bodybuilder, without all the legal and moral implications.
Truffle butter is simply a blend of top quality butter and shavings of truffle, the celebrated fungus that is traditionally harvested in Europe by a pig on a leash. The truffles have a powerful aroma which the pigs find irresistible, they start to dig for the truffle and the human’s job is to intervene before the pig consumes it. Increasingly dogs are taking over the pigs’ role. Dogs do seem to have better pr than other animals. Truffles can be either white or black each having a different season; the black seems to me to have a stronger flavor.
This winter the price of fresh truffles has rocketed as a result of a poor harvest following the summer drought that hit parts of Italy and France. My family visited the Umbrian mountains of Italy last summer; we spent a day in the magnificent walled Roman town of Gubbio. It is the center of truffle culture for the central part of the country and many shops and restaurants are devoted to truffle products. I have found it here at the Gourmet Market on Forest Drive and it is available elsewhere too.
A 3oz pot of the butter costs about $10, but a little goes a long way. A tablespoonful is all you would need to flavor pasta for two, toss with the drained pasta and serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese. The same amount can be used to sauté chicken for two, stirred into a pot of rice or scrambled with eggs.
My most recent discovery makes a quick weeknight dinner.
Baked Potatoes with Truffle Butter -serves4
4 baking potatoes, scrubbed clean and dried
1 pot truffle butter
Bake the potatoes, either in the oven or microwave, whatever suits your schedule. Serve with a smear of the butter and a large green salad.
Top of my list is truffle butter; it is tremendously versatile, turning plain grilled meats, boiled pasta or a plate of sautéed mushrooms into party pieces. A truffle tastes like a mushroom that took steroids to become a bodybuilder, without all the legal and moral implications.
Truffle butter is simply a blend of top quality butter and shavings of truffle, the celebrated fungus that is traditionally harvested in Europe by a pig on a leash. The truffles have a powerful aroma which the pigs find irresistible, they start to dig for the truffle and the human’s job is to intervene before the pig consumes it. Increasingly dogs are taking over the pigs’ role. Dogs do seem to have better pr than other animals. Truffles can be either white or black each having a different season; the black seems to me to have a stronger flavor.
This winter the price of fresh truffles has rocketed as a result of a poor harvest following the summer drought that hit parts of Italy and France. My family visited the Umbrian mountains of Italy last summer; we spent a day in the magnificent walled Roman town of Gubbio. It is the center of truffle culture for the central part of the country and many shops and restaurants are devoted to truffle products. I have found it here at the Gourmet Market on Forest Drive and it is available elsewhere too.
A 3oz pot of the butter costs about $10, but a little goes a long way. A tablespoonful is all you would need to flavor pasta for two, toss with the drained pasta and serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese. The same amount can be used to sauté chicken for two, stirred into a pot of rice or scrambled with eggs.
My most recent discovery makes a quick weeknight dinner.
Baked Potatoes with Truffle Butter -serves4
4 baking potatoes, scrubbed clean and dried
1 pot truffle butter
Bake the potatoes, either in the oven or microwave, whatever suits your schedule. Serve with a smear of the butter and a large green salad.
