Tag Archives: truffles

Breakfast and Brunch, Easy to Prepare, Egg Dishes, Recipes

Truffled Eggs with Pancetta, Arugula and Fontina Flatbread

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Recipes for a Cure
This saucy dish is part of a collection of recipes written to benefit the National MS Society. In 2008, my sister Lexi (then 21 years old) was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. We formed a team of friends and family called MS is BS (Mind Strong is Body Strong), and each year we raise thousands of dollars for MS research. This recipe was written in tribute to a generous donation towards my $1500 fundraising minimum for the 2013 Capital Challenge Walk, a two-day 50K walk through Maryland, Virginia and DC. Learn more about team MS is BS on our website at http://msisbs.org.

Brunch Buddies 4 Life

Contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t take ages to forge a friendship of worth. Case in point, take my BFF Tara – we met as sketchily as a Craigslist missed connection (not that I know what those are all about…) Back in 2010, my homegirl discovered Adesina’s Kitchen through our fave food blogger hub, FoodBuzz. After hitting me up for my thai dumpling recipe, I meandered over to her site What We Chow, and found that we enjoyed waxing poetically over luxe ingredients, price tag be damned.  I was enamored at the prospect of making her virtual acquaintance, but had no idea that shit was going to get real.  Pronounced: rull. Continue reading Truffled Eggs with Pancetta, Arugula and Fontina Flatbread →

Easy to Prepare, Meat Dishes, Recipes, Salads

Arugula Salad with Truffle Vinaigrette

It’s not terribly often that I have a dish that makes me want to have a mini fit, but when it happens, I try to do everything I can to extend the excitement.  I had a salad similar to this one at one of my favorite NYC restaurants, Marseille.  Between the tender prosciutto, warm buttered croutons and luxe truffle oil dressing, I wanted to hug a stranger and do a jump kick for joy.  Truthfully, though the taste is haute, the ingredients themselves are not terribly expensive or hard to come by.  With the truffle oil as your only splurge, the real luxury comes from the lovely combination of flavors and texture.  Making fresh croutons and serving them warm on the salad is an essential part of the glory – with just a few ingredients joining the peppery bed of arugula, you want to make sure that everything is just right.  After all, the end result should be a mini fit, and for a salad to achieve that honor, it’s got to be damn good. Continue reading Arugula Salad with Truffle Vinaigrette →

Meat Dishes, Recipes, Soups and Stews

Truffled Potato Soup with Chives

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Just as I take true joy in debunking the myth that real men don’t eat quiche, the same goes for soup.  A dish of champions, soup can be hearty and nourishing, but also light and luxe, all at the same time.  I love this soup because it’s the proverbial king of the aforementioned paradox – earthy potatoes are simmered with a homey stock, but then whipped to a smooth majesty of a soup.  The top is kissed with truffle oil – again, another fabulous palette paradox – the earthiness of the truffle essence is delivered via the clarity of the oil.  It’s all glorious, grand and a reminder that we shouldn’t waste a single second dining on anything less than awesome.

Truffled Potato Soup with Chives © Spice or Die

This soup, given that it is thick and hearty, is an excellent base for braised short ribs as well.  I first tried this soup in this manner at the Southern France-focused restaurant, Marseille, as a special plate to cut through the winter chill of the city.  You can still eat it as they served it – a soup with a few shreds of the glorious meat on top.  Or you can give in to your carnivorous proclivities and treat the soup like a pomme puree or elegant sauce to accompany the beef.  I guarantee that either which way you decide to go, you’ll have a rib-sticking meal for even the manliest of men.

Truffled Potato Soup with Chives

1 ham bone
2 stalks of celery
1 onion chopped
2 bay leaves
12 c. of water
4 tbs. of butter
3 tbs. of flour

7 c. of stock (from recipe above)
3 lbs. of yukon gold potatoes
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp. of white pepper
pinch of nutmeg
1 c. of cream
small bunch of chives
truffle oil

Begin by adding your ham bone, stalks of celery (tops and all), chopped onion, bay leaves and water to a large pot. Bring to a rolling boil and then lower heat to medium-high. Allow to cook away until the ham has completely fallen off the bone and the stock has reduced to about 7 cups of liquid – about 2 – 2 1/2 hours. Strain stock and discard all of the solids. Taste for salt and pepper and season accordingly. Set stock aside.

In a large pot, melt butter over low heat. Whisk in flour and cook roux for about a minute. Slowly whisk in strained stock so as to prevent lumps. Bring pot of liquid to a simmer.

While stock is simmering away, peel your potatoes and chop into cubes. Add your potatoes to the stock and bring it to a rolling boil. Add the white pepper and nutmeg. Cook until potatoes are incredibly tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. For a chunky soup, mash the potatoes with a potato masher. For a smooth soup, puree with a hand mixer or in a blender. If you use the blender, make sure to do so in batches and always put a kitchen towel over the lid. This’ll keep you from splattering hot soup all over yourself, which is never ever a good thing.

If you’ve blended your soup, return it to the pot. Stir in the cream and taste for salt and pepper one last time. Snip half of the chives into the soup and stir.  Ladle out the soup and top with additional snipped chives and a drizzle of truffle oil – white or black depending on what you can get your hands on.

Note

I call for yukon golds in this recipe, but plain old russets will do the trick as well.  For a real treat, try an heirloom potato – Marx Foods sells them in all colors and textures, many of which would be so very well-suited for this recipe.  Num num!