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Chanterelle Mushrooms

Truffles

Truffles are hard-to-find edible fungi that grow on the roots of trees, particularly oaks. For a long time, experts had trouble understanding how they grew and how to classify them—though they’re technically not mushrooms, truffles are often mistakenly lumped into the mushroom family.

The flavor of truffles has been highly appreciated ever since antiquity. Relatively rare, they have always been a luxury item. Today their cost is exorbitant, as they have become even scarcer due to a combination of increased demand and a significant drop in production since the beginning of the century, due to factors such as the abandoning of plantations, tree-clearing, and the use of pesticides.

Types of Truffles

Of several types of truffles, the two most popular are the black truffle and the white truffle.

Black truffle: The most sought-after truffle, the black truffle is a globular fungus covered with small blackish warts. It grows abundantly but not exclusively in the French region of Périgord. Its dark, white-veined flesh is highly odoriferous.
White truffle: Somewhat rough-textured, the white truffle is whitish, yellowish, or greenish-yellow in color and resembles an irregularly shaped tuber. The largest of all edible truffles, it grows to a diameter of more than 4" and can weigh up to a pound. Its white or ochre flesh, streaked with white veins, has a garlicky or cheeselike taste.

Nutritional Information: Truffles

Nutrient		Raw (per 100 g)
Water		76%
Protein		6 g
Fat		0.5 g
Calories		25

Truffles are rich in potassium and are a good source of iron.

How to Buy Truffles

Fresh truffles are generally available only in regions where they are gathered—their peak growing season is January to March. Some stores carry canned truffles preserved in water. When buying fresh truffles, choose specimens that are firm, fleshy, and free of bruises.

How to Store Truffles

Truffles should always be stored in the refrigerator.

Fresh truffles: Can be kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator for about a week. To extend their keeping time to about a month, cut them into pieces, cover them with Madeira or white wine, and place them in a sealed container before refrigerating.
Canned truffles: Should be stored in the refrigerator once they have been opened.

How to Prepare Truffles

Don’t wash truffles. Instead, clean them gently with a soft cooking brush. Once cleaned, they can be sliced, cut into thin strips, shaved, or diced.

How to Cook Truffles

Truffles are eaten raw or cooked and are included in a number of products, including foie gras and pâté. They can also be added to salads, stuffings, sauces, pasta, rice, and eggs, and are delicious raw or cooked alone. They are traditionally associated with game and poultry, particularly Christmas turkey in France. A few thin slices are enough to flavor an entire dish. The most popular ways to cook truffles are sautéing, heating in a pot, and braising.

Sautéing: Sauté truffles in 2–3 teaspoons of oil heated in a saucepan. Sauté on medium heat for 2–3 minutes.
Heating in a pot: Place the truffles in a sealed pot with a very small amount of water (1/2 cup or so) and cook on medium heat for 10–15 minutes.
Braising: Braising is a cooking method in which you brown meat, vegetables, or in this case, truffles, in cooking oil and then let the food cook on low heat in oil, vegetable stock, or water for an extended period of time. Truffles should be browned in oil in a saucepan, and then braised in water or vegetable stock for 45–60 minutes. The liquid used to braise the truffles should cover only the bottom half of the truffles.