How to prepare truffles?

Colette who was a fine gourmet called truffles "black princesses". She affirmed after Georges Sand (just as fine a gourmet) that truffles, a noble product, should only be combined with quality products, noble products in their categories to avoid misalliances.

Since we don't eat truffles every day (would that be desirable?), we must, even for a simple "brouillade", create the meal as a small special event by taking care of the details that compose and surround it. It will look better. When you buy or when you are given a truffle, it is often earthy. You will have to brush it to remove the soil that covers it and gets stuck in its sanded surface.

You will rinse it with warm water and dry it carefully before preparing it.

To prepare it you can cut it into slices, either with a knife, or with a mandolin if you have one to make potato chips, or with a special instrument sold for this purpose which allows you to adjust the slices to the thickness you want.

The truffle can be cut in other ways according to needs:

In sticks: to do this, cut the truffle first into slightly thick strips and then into sticks.

In julienne: these are sticks cut into the thinnest possible filaments.

In cubes: more or less large. From very thick sticks.

In brunoise: in tiny dice. To do this, dice a julienne.

Try to have regular cuts (fine or less fine) for each of these preparations, it is important for the look.

If possible, cut the truffle at the last minute. A truffle reduced to brunoise is very quickly fanned and it is better to release its flavour into the other ingredients than into the atmosphere.

Its sapid and aromatic capacities are released as soon as it is warm to the core (and not cooked). High temperatures do not suit it at all. She is a princess who is entitled to consideration and who will perfectly adapt to the seasonal produce. With the exception of game, which requires high temperatures (roasting) or long cooking times (stew, etc.) and whose strong and wild flavour contradicts that of truffles.

Vegetables suit it: leeks, celery, lamb's lettuce and endive know how to surround it with affection. This affection, it returns it to white meats, fish and seafood.

From these exchanges is born, the truffle cuisine which allows to invent happy marriages for a festive cuisine, sometimes a little rich but it is not the truffle that is caloric.

The meal where the truffle is present is a joyful meal during which a complicity is established between the guests.

Now it is up to you to prepare this joy and complicity.