Best ways to use a truffle - top tips from a leading Canberra chef

'Being a truffle can be disconcerting, as truffle is the domineering ingredient in dishes,' says Andrew Haskins of 3Seeds Cooking School. The leading Canberra chef (ex 'the fig') and cooking school owner is presenting a series of unique and informative hunt and cook packages during the truffle season.

---

Chef Andrew Haskins from 3Seeds Cooking School has the stove fired up

---

---

---

It's a Friday night and we're seated in a marquee in the middle of a paddock, not far from the truffle shed. A twilight truffle hunt is finished and now we're in for more sensory pleasure. Haskins has the stove fired up and has planned a mini-feast for the attendees. We'll be tasting and smelling truffles and truffle-infused dishes as we listen to sage advice on the best ways to use these earthy treasures. 

'I remember first seeing truffles in 1979, as an apprentice in Melbourne.' Haskins tells me before the class. 'They looked like tiny balls of rubber, and tasted the same!' he laughs. 'My first personal 'go' with truffles was in the 90’s at our restaurant, 'the fig'. Truffle butter drizzled over pan seared blue eye cod with a truffle scented potato mash,' he explains. 'My best truffle experience was in 2010. A cafe in Certaldo, Tuscany, with my wife, Catherine, for her 40th. Fresh truffle pasta, both made with and shaved on top (not my thing now) and served with an awesome local Chianti,' he recalls.

Best ways to use a truffle - layer the flavours and infuse products

A truffle is not the cheapest food commodity. Indeed, it is an investment. Haskins says that when most people buy themselves a truffle, they make the mistake of shaving the whole thing over a dish of scrambled eggs or pasta. 'Then the truffle is gone all at once. And, what's more, you only smell a little of the truffle by doing that,' he adds. 

To get the most out of the truffle, and bang for your buck, the idea is to layer the flavours and infuse products to give them truffle pungency. 'You can get so much truffle mileage in such a short time by bringing flavours together to creative a little party. And, you've still got the truffle to use,' says Haskins. 

Here are the chef's suggestions and top tips. The last one is a cracker! 

• Store the truffle in a glass jar with half a dozen free range eggs. Pop on the lid and refrigerate for 24-48 hours.
• Do the same with Arborio rice. Use the rice to make risotto and shave a little truffle over the top.
• Infuse some cream with the truffle and use the cream to make a ganache or truffled truffle. Or combine the cream with the eggs and make truffled pasta carbonara.
• Make truffle salt or truffle butter by combining pure salt or butter with shaved truffle. 
• Cut into a round of double brie into layers and shave truffle in between the layers. Refrigerate and allow the truffle to infuse, then leave the brie at room temperature for an hour or two before serving. 
• Shave some truffle into a pot of honey, allow the flavours to infuse and serve the truffled honey with fresh figs and cheese.
• Store offcuts of truffle in a bottle of vodka. The pungency of the truffle will steep into the vodka, while the vodka preserves the truffle.

I really like these ideas, don't you? Tell me, have you ever tried truffle? What are your favourite ways of using truffle?

---