CHEF TIPS: COOKING WITH TRUFFLE
FROM CHEF GORD KAHLE
Chef Gord Kahle’s going all out with the truffles this season, his winter warming menus a perfect match for the earthy aromas of fresh Manjimup truffle.
Here’s the lowdown on techniques he’s using in the kitchen, and how you can adapt for cooking with truffle at home.
TIP #1: THE TRUFFLE & CHEESE COMBO
"This month’s Feature Pour & Snack, Barolo and Truffles is and a take on cheese on toast; brioche, Hall’s Suzette cheese, and truffle honey I’ve had fermenting since last year. If you’re cooking with truffles at home, I reckon you can’t go wrong micro planing fresh truffle into honey and letting it sit in cool dark place to infuse. Then, warm some Hall’s Suzette in the oven and drizzle the truffle honey over the top with a little sea salt. Ridiculous aroma and flavour. Scoop it up with crackers or a good loaf of bread. "
TIP #2: KEEP IT HOT
"The most important about cooking with truffle is heat. The aroma of the truffle releases the moment it touches warm food. Use that as a your starting point, then take it as far as you like. Shaving it over a really good, hot creamy mash is a good start, then get as fancy as you like. Last truffle season we did a cool truffle and mushroom broth, a salted egg yolk sitting in a lid over the top. You'd lift the lid, slip the egg into the hot broth. The truffle aroma as you stirred it all together was awesome."
TIP #3: SHAKE IT UP
“Ah, I just had an idea. I’ve got a strawberry vinegar that's been fermenting for ages; a jar with vinegar mother, packed with all the strawberry ends saved from when we had a strawberry dessert on. I’m thinking it would be a good base for a truffle vinaigrette, drizzled over charred radicchio. I better write that down, it might go well on the new menu. So easy to do your own take at home too. Microplane some truffle into olive oil and incorporate with vinegar. Make sure it’s good quality oil and vinegar, and the usual 3:1 ratio (oil:vinegar). Season and drizzle over a hot salad … charred wedges of radicchio on the BBQ would be perfect.”