I’m always searching for the best recipes to experience the amazing qualities of white truffles.  The heavenly fragrance and intense earthy flavor of white truffle mushrooms seems to shine best when the base is rather mild and creamy.  This recipe for White Truffle Scalloped Potatoes is one of my favorites.  It’s easy to prepare, but does need to be made just before serving.  Because white truffles should never be cooked, the dish should not be reheated.

This white truffle recipe would make an elegant side dish for Thanksgiving or any other special occasion.

Ingredients:
6 Yukon Gold potatoes, about 2 lbs, sliced thinly, about 2 mm thick
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 – 3 ounces fresh white truffle
5 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Instructions:
Add the potato slices to a large pot of boiling salted water.  Cook for 3 minutes, stirring several times to make sure the potatoes are not stuck together.  Drain immediately.  Add the creme, milk and 3 tablespoons butter to a large pan or skillet.  Stirring occasionally, bring the mixture to a boil.  Add the blanched potato slices, and carefully stir to make sure all the pieces of potato are covered with the cream and milk mixture.  Season with salt and pepper. Simmer the potatoes for 10 – 12 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.

While the potatoes are cooking, preheat the broiler.  Butter a glass baking dish or large gratin dish, using the remaining 1 tablespoon butter.  Spoon half the potatoes into the baking dish, spreading evenly, then grate most of the white truffle over the hot potatoes.  Reserve a small amount of truffle to shave over the top.  Spoon the second half of the potatoes over the truffles, and top the potatoes with the grated cheese.

Broil the scalloped potatoes for 2 – 3 minutes, or until the top is nicely golden brown.  Remove the dish from the oven, shave the remaining white truffle on top and serve.

Note: Do not leave the scalloped potatoes in the oven to keep them warm.  The white truffles should not be cooked at all, or they will lose a lot of their wonderful flavor.  This dish should be prepared just before serving.
Serves 9 – 12

A creamy risotto with freshly shaved white truffles and Parmigiano-Reggiano is certainly one of the classic white truffle recipes. Although nothing else is needed in this rich and satisfying dish, we added little squares of crispy pancetta and sauteed chanterelle mushrooms to the finished risotto just before shaving the truffles over the risotto. Additionally, we put a large seared sea scallop on top of the dish. If fresh peas or fava beans had been available, I may have been tempted to add some bright green color to the dish, but it certainly was delicious without the peas or fava beans.

There is one thing I would do differently next time. The white truffle could have been shaved more thinly, allowing each piece to have more contact with the hot risotto.

Ingredients:

6 cups chicken stock, homemade or high quality store bought

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup minced shallot

1 small clove garlic

1 1/2 inch cube pancetta, cut into tiny squares

6 ounces chanterelle mushrooms, cut into bite sized pieces

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

1/4 cup dry white wine

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 1/2 ounces fresh white truffle

4 – 6 large sea scallops

Instructions:

Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Lower the heat, maintaining a slight simmer throughout the process of making the risotto.

Heat a deep, heavy saute pan to medium high and add the small squares of pancetta. Cook over medium heat until crispy. Remove the pancetta, but leave the rendered fat in the pan. Add olive oil if needed to the already hot pan, and add the minced shallots. Cooking over medium heat, cook the shallots until they are soft and slightly golden. Add the garlic to the shallots and cook just until fragrant, about one minute. Remove the shallots and garlic and set aside. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in the saute pan and add the chanterelle mushrooms. Saute the mushrooms until the liquid has been released, and the mushrooms are very lightly golden. Remove the chanterelles and set aside.

Return the cooked shallots and garlic to the saute pan.  Add the Arborio rice and cook to coat it with oil, until the rice is opaque, about 2 minutes (add additional olive oil if needed).

Add the wine and cook until the wine is completely absorbed. Add 1/2 cup of the simmering chicken stock to the rice, and cook, stirring constantly, until all the stock is absorbed.  The stock should be bubbling gently as the pan is stirred.  Continue adding 1/2 to 3/4 cup chicken stock at a time, stirring after each cup is added until all the liquid is absorbed.  Stop adding stock when the rice is al dente and the risotto is creamy. All the stock may not be used, or slightly more may be needed. The rice will take about 20 – 30 minutes to cook. Be sure not to overcook the rice, or the risotto may become gluey.

Meanwhile, sear the sea scallops in a tablespoon olive oil in a medium hot pan and cook until nicely golden brown on each side, about two or three minutes.

When the risotto is cooked, remove the pan from the heat, add the remaining 3 tablespoon of butter and the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and stir vigorously. Add the crispy pancetta and the chanterelle mushrooms to the risotto. Serve the risotto in warm shallow bowls. Shave the white truffle over the risotto and top with one scallop on each plate.  Serves 4 – 6.

White truffles are ripe and fragrant, and I’ve spent a glorious weekend trying various white truffle recipes. Although white truffles pair well with a variety of foods, their unique flavor is best experienced when the white truffle is the star of the show. Mild bases such as pasta, potatoes, risotto and eggs, often combined with sharp Italian cheeses are classic pairings. White truffles are best served raw or warmed, but not cooked. Much of the intense white truffle flavor and fragrance will be lost with extended contact with heat.

One of my favorite books for truffle recipes is Rosario Safina’s “Truffles, Ultimate Luxury Everyday Pleasure”. Rosario Safina is the former President of Urbani Truffles, and has now launched his own line of 100% organic truffle products. The da Rosario product line includes real truffle oil (made with organic real truffles and organic olive oil), truffle salt, truffle butter, truffle honey, and now truffle mayonnaise. The following white truffle recipe was inspired by one of many  elegant truffle recipes in Rosario’s excellent cook book.

Ingredients:

One large rectangular or circular focaccia, approximately 8 x 8 inches.

5 ounces Taleggio cheese, ripe, but not overly ripe (or use creamy Ribiola cheese if a milder cheese is preferred)

1/2 ounce fresh white truffle

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using a serrated knife, split the focaccia in half horizontally. Slice the Taleggio (or Robiola) and spread it on the bottom half of the focaccia. Replace the top piece of focaccia. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet for 3 – 5 minutes or until the cheese is just beginning to melt and the focaccia is warm throughout.  Remove the top piece of focaccia and shave the white truffles over the melted cheese (if the cheese is too melted, it will be difficult to remove the top). Replace the top piece of focaccia over the shaved truffles.  Cut the focaccio in squares or wedges.

This white truffle focaccia can be served as an appetizer, or as a sandwich accompanied by a green salad and/or bowl of soup.  If white truffles are not in season, the same recipe can be used, but substitute white truffle oil for the the freshly shaved white truffles. Drizzle about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of pure truffle oil over the top of the focaccia.

I love eating a plate of multicolored heirloom tomatoes at the peak of ripeness.  But, with Urbani’s White Truffle Balsamic Vinegar , Chaetau Virant Extra Virgin Olive oil, fresh cilantro, fresh cracked pepper and fleur de sel, these heirloom tomatoes were elevated to a whole new level.  I don’t think I would put fresh white truffles in this salad, but Urbani’s White Truffle Balsamic Vinegar added just the right amount of sweetness and the white truffle flavor was pleasantly noticeable but not overpowering.

Chateau Virant Olive Oil is an award winning AOC extra virgin olive oil produced in Provence, France.  The oil is buttery and smooth, with low acidity and handsome flavor nuances. I LOVE this oil.

Sometimes a simple meal with a touch of luxury can be so incredibly satisfying.

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 foie gras terrine is layered with fresh spinach leaves and served with a black truffle salad with aged balsamic vinegar and white truffle oil.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 to 1 lobe of Grade A Foie Gras
• Salt and white pepper
• 3 to 4 tablespoons of Sauternes
• 3 to 4 tablespoons brandy
• 1 bunch spinach leaves, cleaned and stemmed
• Oil for mold
• 2 to 3 roots salsify
• 2 cups loosely packed mesclun leaves
• 8 teaspoons white truffle oil
• 8 teaspoons 100-year-old balsamic vinegar
• 8 teaspoons reduced beet juice
• 2 tablespoons julienned black truffles
• Fleur de Sel and black pepper

Instructions:

Cut 1/2 – 3/4 inch slices of foie gras from the lobe and devein them. Lightly season with salt and white pepper. Marinate in the Sauternes and brandy for several hours.

In a non-stick pan over medium-high heat, quickly sear the foie gras slices on both sides. Do not overcook. Cool the foie gras slightly on paper towels. Wilt the spinach leaves in the foie gras fat and blot on a paper towel. Season the spinach lightly with salt and pepper and allow to cool. Rub the terrine mold with a little oil and line it with plastic wrap. Arrange a layer of foie gras slices in the terrine, and top with a layer of spinach. Continue the layering process until the mold is filled. Press down and drain off any excess fat; cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.

Peel the salsify roots and slice them length-wise with a vegetable peeler into 12 or 16 thin strips. Place the strips on a non-stick sheet pan or parchment paper and bake at 375 degrees until golden and crispy, about 5 or 6 minutes.

Assembly: Cut 1/2 inch slices (or the desired thickness) of the foie gras terrine. Place a mound of mesclun greens in the center of each plate and top each with 2 slices of the terrine. Arrange the salsify around the terrine. Drizzle some white truffle oil and balsamic vinegar on the greens and around the plates. Drizzle some Beet Juice around the plate. Top the greens with the julienne of black truffle. Season with a little kosher salt and black pepper.

This recipe is one of many wonderful recipes featured in Charlie Trotter’s by Charlie Trotter, published by Ten Speed Press.

Serves 4

Celery root puree, a combination of celery root and potatoes pureed and served like mashed potatoes, pairs with so many types of meat and vegetables.  I particularly like celery root puree with red meats and poultry.  I frequently add truffle oil, either black truffle oil or white.  Celery root puree is equally delicious with black or white truffle butter.  When fresh truffles are in season, try shaving white truffles over the celery root puree just before serving.  If fresh white truffles will be used, consider using a single filet mignon for an improved presentation which will show off the white truffles better.

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs. Beef tenderloin tips

Duck foie gras torchon

1 large celery root about 2 lbs, peeled and cut into ½ inch dice

2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch dice

About 3 cups chicken stock

4 tablespoons butter

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons chopped chives

Black or white truffle oil, truffle butter, or fresh white truffle

Microgreens

Fleur de sel

Instructions:

Put diced celery root and potatoes in a large pot and cover with chicken stock.  Cover pot and boil for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Add additional stock if needed.  Drain the celery root and potatoes and pass them through a ricer, or blend in a food processor.

Return the puree to the pot, add butter and salt and pepper to taste.  Adding cream is optional.  Keep warm over low heat.

Put salt and pepper on the filet tips and sauté over high heat for 1 – 2 minutes on each side.

To serve, place a mound of celery root puree on each plate.  Top with chives and truffle oil.  Place the filet tips on the puree.  Shave curls of the foie gras torchon with a sharp knife or peeler and place on top of the filet tips.  Garnish with mircogreens and top with fleur de sel.

This video shows a fresh white truffle from Alba Italy being shaved over a steaming plate of homemade pasta. This truffle recipe is easy and delicious!

The aroma of fresh white truffles will fill a room with heavenly fragrance! White truffles from Alba Italy hasve an intense earthy flavor with a hint of pepper and garlic.

Shave raw white truffles on pasta, risotto, salads, eggs, sauces, or with poultry or other white meats such as rabbit or veal. White truffles also pair well with hard Italian cheeses, proscuito and salami.

Here’s the recipe for white truffles with pasta:

Ingredients

Enough fresh made pasta for 4 – 6 people

8 Tablespoons butter

3/4 cup chicken stock

4 – 6 Tablespoons of freshly grated dry Italian cheese such as Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano

Fleur de sel and freshly ground pepper

1.5 – 2 ounces whole fresh white truffles

Instructions:

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water.  Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock on medium heat and whisk half the butter into the stock, stirring constantly.  When the pasta is cooked to your taste, drain the water and put the cooked pasta back in the large pot.  Add the chicken broth and butter mixture to the pasta, along with the remaining butter and the cheese.  Mix thoroughly and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve in 4 – 6 pasta bowls.  Shave the truffles over each pasta dish at the table.

Are white truffles really worth the price?  At about $300 per ounce, serving a meal laced with white truffles from Alba, Italy is quite an investment.  Today, I prepared homemade pasta with fresh white truffles,  and was wowed with the amazing aroma and the distinctive, nutty, earthy flavor of these little gems.  I love discovering a recipe that is simple to prepare, yet so decadent and perfect.  This one is just that.  I can’t give exact measurements, since I prepared this using my own judgment, but I’ll share what I can, and I’m sure it will be easily reproduced.  I served this with Prosciutto de Parma and green salad, which was a nice compliment to the meal.

Ingredients

Enough fresh made pasta for 4 – 6 people

8 Tablespoons butter

3/4 cup chicken stock

4 – 6 Tablespoons of freshly grated dry Italian cheese such as Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano

Fleur de sel and freshly ground pepper

1.5 – 2 ounces whole fresh white truffles

Instructions:

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water.  Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock on medium heat and whisk half the butter into the stock, stirring constantly.  When the pasta is cooked to your taste, drain the water and put the cooked pasta back in the large pot.  Add the chicken broth and butter mixture to the pasta, along with the remaining butter and the cheese.  Mix thoroughly and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve in 4 – 6 pasta bowls.  Shave the truffles over each pasta dish at the table.