I’m happy that Hivron Turanli, a foodie and the Marketing Director at Macchi Inc. has accepted to be a guest blogger on At Home with Kim Vallee. Hivron agreed to talk to us about a special ingredient that she adores. She shared with us practical tips on how to use truffles in your kitchen. Hivron is also known as Mrs. Macchi on Twitter.
People associate truffles with refined and expensive food. Many may feel that it is too expensive to use at home. I will show you that there are many ways and price levels at which you cook with truffles.
What is a Truffle?
Truffles come from the ‘Fungi’ (Fungus) family, just like the mushroom. It has the consistency and the shape of a potato or a nugget. The common definition refers to the shape of a truffle. What makes it so desirable is its incredible and unique aroma. Plus, their seasons only last for a couple of months at a time.
There are three types of truffles:
- Winter White Truffle (Alba Truffle) retails at $8,500 CAD/kg
- Winter Black Truffle (Black Norcia Truffle or Black Perigord Truffle) retails at $3,500 CAD/kg
- Black Summer Truffle retails at $1000 CAD/kg
The aromatic level and the season duration explain the price difference. The summer truffle is the least expensive since it’s the least aromatic and it has the longer season period. It stretches from mid May to September.
How Much Truffles Do You Need for 4 Portions?
The most common way to serve fresh truffle is to shave it on your dishes, like a plate of pasta or pan-fried eggs!
The more aromatic is the truffle, the less you need to put in a dish. The rule of thumbs is to cut by half the quantity if you use the pricer winter white truffle compared to the least expensive option. From my experience, a generous serving for 4 people would be:
- 20g of Winter White Truffle,
- 30g of Winter Black truffle and
- 40g of Black Summer Truffles.
Preserved Truffles and Truffle Oils
But you don’t need a deep wallet to enjoy the taste of truffles. Macchi carries a variety of preserved truffles and truffle oils under our own private label Il Tartufo d’Oro.
- Truffle Carpaccio is made from summer truffles, covered with sunflower oil in a jar. It’s great on a pizza or to elevate an egg sandwich. Serve no more than a slice per person. $50 CAD for a 120g jar
- Truffle Paste is minced black summer truffle mixed with mushrooms, olives, and olive oil. The paste can add flavor to a white pasta sauce. You can spread a teaspoon over your BBQ steak, or make canapés for a chic cocktail party! $20$ CAD for a 180g jar
- Truffle Oil Black or White has no real truffles in it! It is simply an extra virgin olive oil infused with truffle essence. I use it at least 3 times per week in my cooking. The white one is slightly sweeter in flavor and the black tastes earthier. I put a dash into my Bolognese sauce, drizzle some over a fried egg or a steamed artichoke. $25-$30 CAD for a 250 ml bottle.
As you can see there are a lot of options for enjoying truffle and adding it to the ingredients you use in your cooking.
Thank you, Hivron, for letting us discovered the wonderful world of truffles. Hivron writes a blog where you can learn more tips and recipes about the fine gourmet ingredients imported by Macchi. Here is everything she wrote about truffles.
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+ photos: Macchi Inc.