Black Truffle Oil?

[mudbug]

From Diane,

"I recently puchased a bottle of black truffle oil from Italy. I've heard it was wonderful, but the smell and taste is so strong that I really don't understand. I tried it in mashed potatoes, but couldn't eat it. At first I thought it must be spoiled, but found out from others that it is not. I'd really like to experience the 'wonderful' part about it. How can I accomplish this?"

Hello!

This is a product that should be used in extreme moderation, as you've already found out! Too much, and, WHOOSH! Makes your eyes water, no?!?!

Here's a recipe that's tried and true. If it weren't so late, I mix a little salad for myself! Enjoy!

Warm Porcini Salad with Mesclun and Black-Truffle Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

For the vinaigrette:

2 Tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 1/2 Teaspoons aged red-wine vinegar
1/2 Teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon black-truffle oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the salad:

1 Pound fresh porcini mushrooms
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1 Small shallot, peeled and minced
1/4 Pound (about 8 cups) mixed baby lettuces (avoid bitter greens like arugula), washed and dried
2 Tablespoons minced chives


METHOD

To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the vinegars, mustard and truffle oil in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the truffle oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To make the salad, clean dirt from the mushrooms and, depending on their size, either slice them or cut into julienne. Set aside.

In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and cook until it just begins to turn brown. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, only until thoroughly warm and slightly tender. Add the shallots and remove from heat. Transfer the mushrooms to a mixing bowl and toss with half the vinaigrette and half the chives. Season with salt and pepper.

In another bowl, toss the greens with the remaining vinaigrette and chives. Divide among 4 plates and top with mushrooms. Serve immediately.

[Isa]

I never had truffle oil, lucky you for having a bottle. My experience is with truffle vinegar. Like Julie said you use it in small quantity. For vinaigrette I used 1 teaspoon truffle vinegar and 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar and olivie oil. It was enough to delicately flavour the salad.

I hope your oil hasn't turned rancid. It would be shame to loose it.

Here is a recipe one of my instructors taught us in school. (I was very doubtful until I tasted it...it's truly delicious.)

Black Truffle-Mango Salpicon

1 ripe mango (small to medium dice)
3 lg portabellos (gills removed; med dice)
1/2 sm red onion (sm dice)
2 roma tomatoes (peeled, seeded, sm dice)
1 1/2 tsp truffle oil
1 tbsp minced chervil
Salt & pepper to taste

In a very hot pan, saute the mushrooms with a little oil, salt, and pepper. Chill.

Once mushrooms are cooled, toss all ingredients together. Allow to stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Serve over grilled chicken or fish. (Especially nice on salmon.)

Here is a recipe one of my instructors taught us in school. (I was very doubtful until I tasted it...it's truly delicious.)

Black Truffle-Mango Salpicon

1 ripe mango (small to medium dice)
3 lg portabellos (gills removed; med dice)
1/2 sm red onion (sm dice)
2 roma tomatoes (peeled, seeded, sm dice)
Juice of 2 limes and 1 lemon
1 1/2 tsp truffle oil
1 tbsp minced chervil
Salt & pepper to taste

In a very hot pan, saute the mushrooms with a little cooking oil (not the truffle oil), salt, and pepper. Chill.

Once mushrooms are cooled, toss all ingredients together. Allow to stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Serve over grilled chicken or fish. (Especially nice on salmon.)

[Chef David Simpson]

You must never mix truffle oil with anything directly. If you mix with the wet ingredients first befor adding to your patatos, like say for instance, if you were making a herb, truffle patato mash then add three drops per pound to the butter at room temp and mix both together and let infuse for 20 minutes or so. You could also add the herbs w/ the oil and butter.

Thank-you Chef David, Adding truffle oil into the butter and oil is such is great idea. Then you can adjust the taste that way. ChefJulie, your Warm Porcini Salad sounds wonderful. I think I will try that out this weekend. I have a get together we are going to. So many great ways of using the truffle oil. I am also going to add your Black Truffle Salpicon to my recipes,MissyK. We eat alot of fish around here, and I am always looking for a new way to prepare it.

I always use my truffle oil when I make my Pasta with what I call "Fresh sauce".
You can add the truffle oil to the olive oil instead of drizzling it at the end.
This is an exercise for my students to concasse,clarify, roast, mince and chiffanade.


Pasta with Concassed Tomatoes, Roasted Peppers in Marinade, Minced Garlic and Basil Chiffanade

1 lb Pasta, cooked according to directions
Angel Hair,Thin Spaghetti or Luinguini are good choices
5 Tomatoes, concassed and cut into a medium dice
3 Green Peppers, Roasted and Peeled
3-4 T Olive Oil
2 cloves of Garlic, minced
3 T Clarified Butter
2 T Olive Oil
¼ cup grated Parmesan Cheese
½ cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 to 1 1/2 tsp of Truffle Oil
6-7 leaves of basil cut in a chiffanade

Julienne the Roasted and peeled green peppers and place them in a hotel pan. Add the 3-4 T olive oil and 1 clove of garlic and allow to marinade for 15 minutes at room temperature.
After draining the pasta, place into a pasta bowl or any large bowl and add the tomatoes, pepper and garlic. Toss gently. Add the butter and 1 T olive oil and toss again. Then add the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and mix thoroughly. Drizzle the Truffle Oil on top of the pasta. Garnish with the basil Chiffanade.

Lorraine

[mudbug]

Hi Kyle,

A friendly tip, you don't need to post your question more than once here. I've responded to your question at the Recipe Exchange, click on this link:
http://www.cheftalkcafe.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000156.html

[KyleW]

I was lucky enough to get a small bottle of black truffle oil for my birthday. Does anyone have any risotto recipes that would make good use of my bounty?
Thanks,
Kyle

[Isa]

In the January 2001 issue of Bon Appé*** there is a article on truffle oil and a few recipes.

[Live_to_cook]

How long does it take an open bottle of truffle oil to go rancid? Was thinking of picking up a bottle but you only use it a tsp at a time and it's not particularly cheap.

[Chef David Simpson]

It all depends on what brand it is. And what oil the truffles were infused with. Ask your dealer at the market. At 30 - 140 dollars a bottle, I'm sure he/she would know.

[Ruthy]

I have two problems with most of the truffle oil now on the market: 1. 95 of it is totally artificial and has never seen a truffle. You have to read the label very carefully if that matters to you. 2. It loses its flavor very quickly even when refrigerated and it is counterproductive to try to eke it out over a long period.