This recipe for Monkfish Wrapped in Black Truffles and Pancetta with Truffle Sauce is exceptional.  This recipe is one of the least time consuming and least complicated Jean-Louis Palladin recipes we have ever prepared.  Usually when we prepare recipes from his book “Cooking with the Seasons” we spend anywhere from one to two days preparing the recipe.

Serves 4

Ingredients

Sauce:

• 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

• 1 1/4 oz fresh black truffle, coarsely chopped

• 3 Tablespoons lobster or chicken consomme or stock

• Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Monkfish:

• 1 1/2 oz black truffle

•6 oz pancetta, sliced thin

• 2 (10 – 12 oz) skinless fillets of monkfish

• Freshly ground pepper

• 2 Tablespoons plus 1 Teaspoon olive oil

• 1/2 oz black truffles for garnish

Start the sauce: Cream the butter in a food processor. Add the truffles and continue processing until smooth. Cover truffle butter and refrigerate until firm, at least one hour.

To finish the dish and serve: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Slice 1 1/2 oz of truffles paper-thin. Set aside. For the garnish, julenne 1/2 oz of truffles.

Cut the monkfish fillets in half crosswise to form 4 equal portions. Season generously on both sides with pepper. Heat 2 Tablespoons oil in a very large skillet over high heat, 2 – 3 minutes. Add the fish pieces and cook 30 to 45 seconds on each side. Drain on paper towels; let cool about 2 minutes.

Grease a cookie sheet or baking pan with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil; set aside. Now prepare each portion of monkfish as follows: Cover all surfaces of each portion, except the very ends, with 1/4 of the reserved truffle slices; then wrap fish crosswise with 1/4 of the pancetta slices, sealing truffle slices against the fish and leaving ends of fish uncovered; ends of the pancetta slices should be underneath the fish. Once all fish portions are prepared, transfer them, seam side down, to the prepared cookie sheet. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven just until the fish is cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes; do not overcook. Heat the serving plates in the oven for the last 2 to 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, finish the sauce. To do this, combine the reserved chilled truffle butter with the consomme or stock in a heavy saucepan. Heat over medium heat just until the butter is melted, whisking constantly; season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

When the monkfish is cooked, cut each portion in half crosswise with a sharp knife; arrange 2 of the halves on each heated serving plate and spoon 2 Tablespoons sauce in between. Garnish with the julienne truffles. Serve immediately.

This recipe is a simple classic for fresh black truffles, known as Poulet Demi-Deuil, or Chicken in Half Mourning. This recipe is usually prepared with chicken, however, we prefer the taste of Cornish game hen. Black truffles are best when cooked with some form of fat, so if the skin is very lean, baste the breasts with butter a few times during the cooking process. If you are using chicken, you will probably need to double or triple the recipe, since the chicken will be much larger.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 cornish game hen (or double the recipe for chicken)

• 1 oz fresh Perigord black truffle, wiped clean and sliced thin

• Salt and pepper

• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter

• 1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced in half

• 1 tablespoon Madeira

• 1 teaspoon cognac

Instructions

Use your fingers to gently pull the skin from the breast, legs, and thighs of the Cornish game hen without tearing the skin. Slip the truffle slices under the skin, covering the breast and legs completely. Shake a small amount of salt and pepper inside the game hen before trussing it tightly with kitchen string. Wrap the hen in plastic and refrigerate overnight to allow the truffles to flavor the meat.

Rub ½ tablespoon butter on the outside of the bird, then cover with salt and pepper. Rub the cut side of the garlic and then the remaining butter on the inside a small casserole just large enough to hold the bird (casserole should have a lid). Place the hen in the casserole and add the Madeira and cognac. Cover tightly and bake for 1 hour or until golden brown.  Keep the breast moist, adding butter if necessary.

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.

http://www.enjoyfoiegras.com/products/truffles.html Preserved black truffle mushrooms from Perigord are a good alternative when winter truffles are not in season.

Preserved truffles do not have the intense flavor and aroma of fresh black truffles, but they can be substituted in some recipes off-season.  To add to the flavor of the preserved black truffles, you may add truffle oil, truffle salt, or truffle juice.  

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.