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Discover The Seemingly Endless Uses for White Truffle Oil
It seems almost everything I prepare can be enhanced with white truffle oil. Some of my favorite white truffle oil uses include drizzling white truffle oil on salads–especially those containing hearty vegetables such as beets, leeks, asparagus, tomatoes and mushrooms–drizzling it on grilled or sautéed vegetables, drizzling on bread, pizza or popcorn, and adding it to pasta, risotto or potato based dishes. Uses for truffle oil are almost the same for white truffle oil and black truffle oil. It’s really just a matter of personal taste and preference. White truffle oil is generally more subtle in flavor and won’t overwhelm the other ingredients unless too much is used. The rule…
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Gourmet Escape: The Gastronomy and Passion of Spain
Join Laurel Pine, Living Luxury tour for a unique fifteen-day culinary tour, and experience the passionate Spanish way of living and eating. The activities will include exclusive tours, tastings, and demonstrations, private guides, meals in Michelin-starred restaurants (including three of the top 20 restaurants in the world!) and accommodations in unique four and five star properties. The approach to food and life in Spain is unique! Expansive sustainable and biodynamic farms and vineyards produce signature (DOC) culinary products such as Jamon Iberico, sheep’s milk cheese, olive oil and wines such as Sherry, Alboriño, and Tempranillo. These products cannot be produced anywhere else in the world. The land, the climate, and…
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Truffles Recipe: Grilled Porterhouse Steak with Summer Truffles and Cognac Shallot Reduction
Grilled Porterhouse Steak with Summer Truffles and Cognac Shallot Reduction This recipe is ideal for either summer black truffles or Burgundy truffles. In this preparation, the truffles soak up the juice from the steak and become warm and softened. Since summer truffles are only a fraction of the cost of winter truffles, you can be generous with the quantity of truffles used. We used French summer truffles for this recipe because French summer truffles tend to have a more robust flavor than Italian summer truffles. Serves 6 – 8 Ingredients: Two 1.5-pound aged prime porterhouse steaks coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 tablespoon olive…
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How to Use Pressed Caviar
Pressed caviar is a paste usually made of various grades and types of caviar. The product, which is made from the caviar eggs that break during the packing of traditional caviar, generally comes in a caviar tin. This unique type of caviar was once popular in France and the US, but has all but disappeared from the market in the last 20 years. Recently Jacques Pépin teamed up with California Caviar Company to develop and re-introduce this product to the market. Jacques Pépin‘s Payusnaya (the Russian name for pressed caviar) combines the nutty flavor of California white sturgeon, the assertive full sea flavor from Paddlefish, and the creamy, rich taste of Hackleback roe. About Pressed…
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How to Incorporate Specialty Gourmet Foods into Your Menu
Many people enjoy eating specialty gourmet foods and luxury foods at restaurants and for special occasions, but don’t really know how to incorporate these fancy foods into their menu at home. Once you get used to using specialty gourmet foods, you’ll see new and creative opportunities to add these ingredients to your menu almost every day. Foie Gras Who would have guessed that foie gras is one of the most versatile and easy to incorporate specialty gourmet foods? Just by adding foie gras to an existing recipe, many dishes can easily be elevated to an impressive gourmet meal. In general, foie gras complements almost any type of red meat, exotic…
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Recipe: Parsnip and Foie Gras Soup with Duck Rillettes
Parsnip and Foie Gras Soup with Duck Rillettes Ingredients 3 tablespoons foie gras fat or butter ¾ cup finely chopped onion 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon minced peeled ginger root ¾ cup thinly sliced carrot ½ cup thinly sliced leak (one large leek white and light green part only) ¼ teaspoon cumin ¼ teaspoon salt 1 bay leaf 3 ½ cups parsnips 4 cups chicken broth 2 pinches cayenne pepper 1/8 cup cognac or brandy ½ cup heavy cream ½ cup shredded duck confit or duck rillettes 4 toasted slices French baguette Freshly ground black pepper black or white truffle oil (optional) Instructions In a heavy saucepan cook the…
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Caviar Recipes: Creme Vichyssoise with Black River Caviar
Creme Vichyssoise with Black River Caviar: This classic French soup served chilled is wonderful with a large dollop of Black River Caviar, though another type of ossetra caviar can be used. Since the caviar will sit on the surface of the soup, you’ll want to make sure the soup is thick enough to hold the caviar. If you use home made chicken stock, the stock will be more gelatinous and therefore the chilled soup will have a thicker consistency. If store-bought stock is used, simply add more potatoes to adjust the thickness. Either way, use plenty of potato when you cook the soup. Before blending the soup, you can set…
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RECIPE: Wagyu Beef Hanger Steak with Grilled Foie Gras and Crispy Shallots
Mishima Ranch Grilled Hanger Steak Marinade Ingredients: 4 tablespoons Dijon mustard 4 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon 1/8 cup soy sauce 1/8 cup olive oil 2 teaspoons herbs de Provence sea salt 4 pounds Mishima Ranch Hanger Steaks trimmed, membrane removed and cut in half lengthwise (at membrane) Instructions: Combine all marinade ingredients. Marinate the trimmed steaks for at least two hours in the refrigerator. Brush the hot grill with olive oil and grill the steaks on each side about 3 – 5 minutes for medium rare. Do not let the flame directly touch the steaks. Remove the steaks from…
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How and When to Use Black vs White Truffle Oil
When to use black vs white truffle oil is less clear cut than the question of black vs white truffles. When using fresh truffles in cooking, the two species are rarely interchangeable. The use of black vs white truffle oil follows some of the same rationale as using fresh truffles; however, in many cases either of the two truffle oils can be used with equally good results. It is best to first understand how fresh black vs white truffles are used. Fresh Black Truffles In general, black truffles are better when they are cooked. The full flavor and aroma is released when black truffles are heated or cooked, therefore they…
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Luxury Recipe: Foie Gras Ice Cream
This foie gras ice cream, made with slow baked foie gras, Sauternes wine, sugar, egg yolks, butter and cream is extremely rich and satisfying. Serve this decadent foie-gras ice cream for dessert presented in a bowl with toasted macadamia nuts and bittersweet chocolate shavings, make a foie gras ice cream sandwich with two soft gingerbread cookies, or serve with crepes, caramel sauce and fleur de sel. Foie gras ice cream, like foie gas itself, can be successfully paired with a multitude of ingredients, particularly if the foie gras ice cream is prepared using savory ingredients such as veal or duck stock, herbs. and just a hint of sugar. Since this…
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Recipe: Poached Oysters with Leeks, Cream and Caviar
I adore eating caviar straight from the tin with nothing added. No egg, no onions, no blini… just plain caviar. At the same time, I’m always looking for caviar recipes that highlight the caviar, and ideally actually add to and improve the experience of eating caviar. I have finally found such a recipe. The basis of the recipe came from “Alfred Portale’s 12 Seasons Cookbook”. The slightly poached Bluepoint oysters served in their shell with a leek, shallot and heavy cream sauce, and topped with a generous dollop of Caviar was perhaps the most delicious caviar recipe I have ever had. The combination of ingredients was absolutely perfect. The leeks…
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Luxury Recipe: Truffle Recipes: Baked Figs with Black Truffles and Prosciutto
These prosciutto wrapped honey mustard baked figs, set on top of fried goat cheese and Australian black truffles and drizzled with top quality aged balsamic vinegar makes a delicious appetizer. Australian black truffles reach their peak maturity in mid July; the combination with fresh ripe black mission figs is perfect. If you don’t have a premium quality aged balsamic vinegar such as Traditional Balsamic Vinegar, Reggio Emilia, Gold Label on hand, you can reduce 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar combined with about 1/4 cup sugar or honey. Simmer the mixture until reduced to 1/8 cup. Ingredients: 4 slices Proscuitto de Parma, cut in half lengthwise 8 ripe black mission figs, stems…
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Luxury Recipe: Foie Gras Stuffed Mushrooms
I’ve been making stuffed mushrooms as a party appetizer for years. This recipe for Foie Gras Stuffed Mushrooms takes the old recipe to a new level. The frozen foie gras cubes have just enough time to cook in the oven. If black truffles were in season, I would have added an ounce of chopped black truffles for a real treat! The truffles could be added with the bread crumbs so that they would be partially cooked before the mushrooms are cooked in the oven. Foie Gras Stuffed Mushrooms Ingredients: 24 medium sized cremini brown mushrooms 3 tablespoons foie gras fat (duck fat or olive oil can be used) 1 large…
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RECIPE | Fonduta with Fresh White Truffles
Fresh white truffles surely are one of the culinary world’s most unique and impressive ingredients. I’ve made a lot of white truffle recipes, and I always conclude that the most simple are really the best. This recipe takes only about 15 minutes to make, and highlights the white truffle flavor magnificently. Purchase the best quality fontina you can find. The flavor in the cheese is what makes the fonduta delicious. I served this with a buttery, full bodied Chardonnay and I thought the wine pairing was perfect with the creamy fonduta. Fonduta with Fresh White Truffles INGREDIENTS 7 ounces fontina cheese 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 ounces…
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RECIPE: Foie Gras Recipes: Seared Foie Gras with Crispy Salmon, Beet Greens and Candied Red Chilies
I’ve recently discovered the combination of beet greens and foie gras, and I love the pairing. These beet greens are a little sweet and spicy, and make a wonderful one plate meal with Atlantic salmon, seared foie gras, garnished with candied Fresno chili peppers. It’s a good dish to make for company because a lot of the preparation can be done ahead of time. Seared Foie Gras with Crispy Salmon, Beet Greens and Candied Red Chilies Seared Foie Gras with Crispy Salmon, Beet Greens and Candied Red Chilies Ingredients: 2 tablespoons rendered foie gras fat 2 shallots, chopped 1 large garlic clove, minced ½ teaspoon sea salt Two large bunches…
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