Do you want to know how to use truffle oil?  There are so many uses for truffle oil, it’s hard to know where to start and where to stop. We’ve narrowed the list down to our top 10 uses for truffle oil.  In most cases, either black truffle oil or white truffle oil can be used interchangeably, based on one’s personal taste preference.

Before we get into the list, there are a few facts about truffle oil that are important to know. There are different types of truffle oil on the market, most ranging in price from $2 – $8 per ounce.

It is becoming increasingly known that most truffle oil is made with chemical or natural flavor or aroma, usually not extracted from actual black truffles or white truffles. However, having said that, there are some quality “truffle oils” which have an excellent truffle flavor and serve the purpose of enhancing recipes with the distinct and pleasurable taste and aroma of fresh truffles, even if the oil has never been in direct contact with fresh truffles.  In fact, some would argue that commercially produced truffle oil (using natural or chemical aroma and flavor) has a more desirable truffle taste, a longer shelf life, and an overall better result than pure truffle oil made only from infusing oil with real truffles.  Let us know what you think.  We’d love to hear your opinion.

Truffle oil can in fact be made at home with high quality olive oil and fresh black truffles or fresh white truffles (We will discuss how to make truffle oil in a follow-up article).  Because the truffle flavor dissipates quickly, homemade truffle oil (or truffle butter) needs to be used within a few days. The uses for truffle oil whether homemade or store-bought are the same.

Truffle oil is almost exclusively used as a finishing oil, meaning, the truffle oil is drizzled over a dish at the end of the preparation, usually in small amounts.  Rule number one is be careful not to overdo it!  Truffle oil is not used for cooking.  The truffle flavor will be compromised if exposed to high heat.

The last point we’ll make is that truffle oil should not be used in every dish.  Though there are endless uses for truffle oil, if three out of five courses include truffle oil, the charm of this unique flavor experience is diminished or even lost.

Without further ado, here is our list of Top 10 Uses for Truffle Oil:

1. Use truffle oil to enhance the flavor of fresh truffles. Summer truffles and Burgundy truffles are considerably more mild in flavor than winter truffles, therefore, drizzling white or black truffle oil directly on the fresh truffle slices is one of our favorite uses for truffle oil.

2. Make truffle oil vinaigrette.  Use a teaspoon or two of truffle oil combined with olive oil, lemon juice or vinegar, salt, pepper, and dijon mustard. Use truffle oil vinaigrette for salads with mushrooms, summer truffles, hard cheeses and dried or cured meats.

3. Drizzle truffle oil over potatoes, pasta, polenta or risotto. Widely regarded as one of the top uses for truffle oil, the mild flavored starchy base of potatoes, pasta polenta and risotto makes a perfect match with the flavor of black or white truffle oil.

4. Pizza with truffle oil. Truffle oil is makes a wonderful addition to pizza crust, especially white pizza.

5. Eggs and truffle oil make a great pair. Whether drizzled over scrambled eggs or an elegant cheese omelette, eggs and truffles are a pairing not to be missed.  Though fresh truffles are frequently used with eggs, truffle oil is an inexpensive way to enjoy this classic pairing.

6. Truffle oil goes well with many vegetables. Some of our favorite combinations include asparagus, cauliflower, sweet potato, yams, corn, mushrooms of any type, and squash of any type.

7. Beef Carpacio is wonderful with truffle oil. The combination of beef carpacio, shaved Parmesean, arugula, or other bitter green, lemon, and olive oil laced with truffle oil is heavenly.  Try adding fresh shaved summer truffles, burgundy truffles or white truffles for a real treat.

8. Dishes using wild mushrooms generally can be enhanced with truffle oil. Think wild mushroom risotto, creamy mushroom soup, mushroom ragout, wild mushroom polenta, etc…

9. Finish a fish filet, filet mignon, duck breast or nice piece of lamb with truffle oil. Many types of fish, red meat, and even chicken, rabbit and other white meats pair well with fresh truffles, which means, they also pair well with truffle oil as well.

10. Truffled popcorn, potato chips and French fries. Our list of uses for truffle oil would not be complete without this addition.  After the cooking process is complete, toss the finished product with salt and truffle oil and enjoy.

This recipe for Smoked Duck and Summer Truffle Salad with Truffle-Honey Mustard Vinaigrette is easy to prepare, very flavorful, and unique.  The smoked duck breast, duck bacon and baked ricotta salata cheese give the salad substance, making a perfect summer meal.

There are only a few weeks left for French summer truffle season, so make this recipe while truffles are still available.  If you miss the window for summer truffles, you could easily substitute Burgundy truffles.

Italian summer truffles can also be used, however, French summer black truffles are more flavorful than Italian summer truffles and they generally have a more pleasing aroma.  Summer truffles from Italy tend to be a lighter color inside, though they sometimes look almost identical.  In our experience, summer truffles with a very light beige, almost cream colored interior have less truffle flavor than summer truffles which have a darker beige or tan interior.  Before you buy summer truffles, find out if they are from Italy, France, or another location.  French summer truffles will generally cost more than summer black truffles from Italy; however the difference in flavor and aroma is worth the higher price.

Like all truffles, summer truffles should be kept in the refrigerator,  wrapped with a paper towel and stored in an air-tight container.  Change the paper towel daily.  Summer truffles last at least a week or possibly two; however, it’s always best to consume truffles as soon as possible.

Summer black truffles are perfect for serving with salad, because the truffles are best when served raw. The flavor of the salad dressing will be absorbed into the truffles, so if you use a salad dressing with white truffle oil or black truffle oil, the flavor of the summer truffles will be enhanced.

This recipe for Smoked Duck and Summer Truffle Salad is easy to prepare and light but very flavorful.  The perfect summer salad!

Ingredients:

Salad

1 pound haricots verts

8 ounces duck bacon

9 ounce piece ricotta salata

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 smoked duck breasts, 8 – 10 oz, sliced

1 head Napa cabbage, shredded

3 tablespoons minced flat leaf parsley

4 ounces French summer truffles

Truffle Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons minced shallots

1 teaspoon honey dijon mustard

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons black truffle oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions:

First, prepare the vinaigrette. Whisk together lemon juice, shallots, and mustard in a small bowl. Whisking constantly, add the olive oil in a thin stream until well blended and emulsified. Whisk in the truffle oil, using more if you desire a stronger truffle flavor. Season with salt and pepper.

To make the salad, begin by bringing a large pan of salted water to a boil. Add the haricots verts and cook until crisp but tender. Drain the beans and shock them in ice cold water. Drain again and set aside.

Brown the duck bacon in a large skillet. When the bacon is slightly crisp, remove from pan and cut into 1/2 inch pieces.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Grease a medium baking pan with olive oil. Cut the ricotta salata in 6 equal wedges, then cut each slice on the diagonal into two triangles. Arrange the slices on the baking sheet, then bake until the cheese is golden brown, about 6 – 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, shave the truffles in thin slices. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, green beans, parsley, duck bacon and truffle slices. Gently mix the salad ingredients. Add the vinaigrette and toss to coat, making sure not to break the truffle slices.

To serve, divide the salad between six plates.  Arrange the sliced duck breast, and place two warm slices of ricotta salata on each plate.

This recipe is ideal for either summer black truffles or Burgundy truffles.  In this preparation, the truffles soak up the juice from the steak and become warm and softened.  Since summer truffles are only a fraction of the cost of winter truffles, you can be generous with the quantity of truffles used.  We used French summer truffles for this recipe because French summer truffles tend to have a more robust flavor than Italian summer truffles.

Serves 6 – 8

Ingredients:

Two 1.5-pound aged prime porterhouse steaks

coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup minced shallots

1 cup beef stock

1/2 cup Cognac or other brandy

4 – 8 ounces French summer black truffle (or Burgundy truffles)

Instructions:

Remove the steak from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking.  Season both sides of the steaks with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.  The steaks can be grilled, broiled, or cooked in a skillet. (If the steaks are cooked in a skillet, reserve the juices for the sauce).  For rare or medium rare steaks, the cooking time should be approximately 10 – 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the steaks and the temperature of the grill, stove, or broiler.  If using a meat thermometer, 120 degrees indicates rare, and 125 degrees for medium rare.

Meanwhile, thinly slice the summer truffles using a sharp knife, mandoline, or truffle slicer.

Saute the shallots in a skillet over medium high heat in 2 tablespoons of the butter and the olive oil until soft and slightly golden brown.  Add the beef stock and cook until reduced almost to a glaze.  Add the Cognac and immediately set fire to the sauce.  Cook for 1 – 2 minutes over medium heat, then gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, 1/2 a tablespoon at a time, stirring after each addition until the butter is just incorporated and the sauce is slightly thickened.

Line a pan with the sliced truffles and set aside until the steaks have finished cooking.  When the steaks are rare or medium rare, remove them from the heat source, and place them on top of the layer of truffles.  Cover the pan with foil, and let the steak rest for 10 minutes, turning once after the first 5 minutes.

Transfer the steak to a cutting board and slice the meat.  Arrange the steak slices on each plate, being sure to serve some of the filet portion of the steak to each guest.  Top the steak with a spoonful of the Cognac shallot reduction, and a generous serving of the juice soaked, warm truffles.  Serve with mashed potatoes (enhanced with white or black truffle oil or truffle butter if you desire), and a green vegetable such as asparagus, sugar snap peas, or green beans.

This potato salad is a version of my favorite French potato salad from the classic “Silver Palate” cookbook.  I toned down the dressing and added black truffle oil.  The original recipe calls for ¼ pound of bacon.  The summer truffles pair well with the more refined flavor of pancetta, but certainly bacon could be used.

Ingredients:

1 pound new or red-skinned potatoes, quartered

3 oz pancetta, diced

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup finely chopped shallots

¼ cup chopped parsley

2 ounces summer black truffles, sliced thin

Vinaigrette:

1 ½ tablespoons Champagne or white wine vinegar

½ teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons black truffle oil

Drop the quartered potatoes into a pot of cold salted water.  Bring to a boil and cook about 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender but still pretty firm.

Meanwhile, sauté the pancetta in olive oil until some of the fat has rendered and the pancetta is slightly crisp (Bacon may be substituted, in which case no olive oil is needed).  Remove pancetta (or bacon) and leave the fat in the pan.  Add the chopped shallots to the hot oil and sauté until the shallots are tender and golden but not too brown.  Set aside.

To make the vinaigrette, whisk the vinegar, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper until blended.  While whisking, slowly add the black truffle oil in a slow, steady stream until the dressing is emulsified.

When the potatoes are cooked, drain them and drop them in a medium bowl.  Toss the potatoes with the reserved shallots and pancetta or bacon fat and about ½ of the parsley.  Add the truffle slices and pancetta or bacon.  Drizzle the vinaigrette over the truffle slices, pancetta and potatoes and toss carefully, trying not to break the truffle slices.  Sprinkle remaining chopped parsley on top of the salad and serve.

This light but flavorful salad makes a perfect side dish for any summer menu.  The black truffle vinaigrette really boosts the flavor of the summer black truffles.  Since summer truffles are only a fraction of the cost of winter black truffles or Alba white truffles, and are considerably milder in flavor and aroma, they can be used in generous amounts.

Ingredients for Salad:

4 oz. haricots verts, blanched until tender but crisp and cut into 1 ½ inch pieces

8 cups mixed greens such as arugula, mache, mizuna, frisee

½ cup finely chopped mixed herbs such as cilantro, basil, parsley, tarragon, thyme, chervil (use only a small amount of the stronger herbs such as tarragon or thyme)

6 green onions, sliced thin

4 oz black summer truffles, sliced thin

3 oz provolone cheese, sliced very thin

Ingredients for Black Truffle Vinaigrette:

1 ½ tablespoons Champagne or white wine vinegar

¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon minced garlic

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons black truffle oil

1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions:

For the Black Truffle Vinaigrette, whisk together the first five ingredients in a small bowl.  Continue whisking, while pouring a thin steady stream of black truffle oil and olive oil.

For the Salad, combine haricots verts, greens, herbs and green onions in a large bowl.  Drizzle half the dressing over the greens and mix well ensuring that the greens are well coated with the black truffle vinaigrette.  Add the sliced summer truffles and drizzle the remaining dressing over the truffles.  Toss the salad carefully trying not to break the truffle slices.  Distribute the salad onto four plates and top with thin slices of provolone cheese. Serves 4.

Truffles go particularly well with eggs and other mild flavored foods such as pasta and potatoes, because these unobtrusive ingredients do not overpower the flavor of the truffles.  When using black winter (Perigord) truffles, it is best to let the truffles sit in the beaten eggs for several hours, even four or five hours.  Omit the cheese if winter truffles are used.

Serves 2

Ingredients

6 large eggs

1 large French summer  truffle, about 1.5 oz, thinly sliced

¾ cup shredded Petit Basque cheese (or another nutty, mild, semi-soft cheese)

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon butter

Optional: Salmon caviar

Instructions

Preheat the oven broiler.  Whisk the eggs thoroughly in a medium-sized bowl.  Add the shaved truffle and the cheese.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Over medium heat, melt the butter in a 9 – 10 inch oven-safe skillet.  Immediately add the eggs, truffle and cheese mixture.  Reduce the stove to low heat and cook for 10 – 14 minutes until the frittata is almost set.  The frittata should be slightly runny in the center.

Place the skillet under the broiler and cook just until the top is set, not brown.  This will take about 30 seconds to one minute.

Garnish with salmon caviar if desired.

To enhance the truffle flavor, you may add truffle oil and/or salt to the eggs before cooking.

This recipe is one of my favorites.  I have made this recipe as an appetizer and as a main dish, countless times.  I decided to add summer truffles to the preparation, and so as not to overpower the truffles, I reduced the amount of ginger and fresh lime juice that I usually use.  This recipe serves four.

Ingredients

1.5 pounds diver scallops

3 tablespoons olive oil

6 – 8 leeks, white and part of the green cut into 1 inch pieces

Salt and freshly ground pepper

¾ oz summer truffles

1 teaspoon grated ginger

¼ cup chopped cilantro

½ lime

fleur de sel

Instructions

Place 1 ½ tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add leeks and sauté uncovered for several minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  When the leeks are hot and just beginning to get golden brown, cover the skillet and continue cooking until the leeks are soft and golden brown.  Add chicken stock or water if the leeks need moisture during the braising process.

Place a large skillet on medium high heat.  When hot, add oil and sear the scallops just until golden brown on both sides.

To serve, place a mound of leeks in the center of each plate.  Top with seared scallops.  Sprinkle grated ginger and chopped cilantro on top.  Squeeze a few drops of lime on the scallops.  Finish with shaved truffle and fleur de sel.