More truffle recipes

There are two main types: black and white. The finest black truffles are found in the Périgord region of ; the best white truffles (in fact they’re more beige) in the Piedmont region of Italy. You can find them from November to February, though it may be as late as March in the Périgord. Although attempts have been made to cultivate truffles, the majority are still found wild, growing around the roots of oak, hazel and lime (linden) trees. Truffles are sniffed out by pigs or dogs trained to recognise the smell.

Truffles should be eaten at the peak of ripeness (unripe truffles are not so flavourful) and can be kept in a sealed container in the fridge in an absorbent medium, such as rice or kitchen towel, to ensure that they do not rot from moisture on the surface.

Truffles can also be kept in a sealed jar with a few eggs which will absorb the truffley aroma through their porous shells.

Black truffles are peeled and can be used raw or lightly cooked, while white truffles are just carefully wiped clean and should never be cooked. They have a distinct peppery taste and are usually sliced raw directly onto the dish. You can buy a special slicer that cuts razor thin slices, or use a mandolin. The truffle’s unique aroma and taste does something magical to foods – shaved over pasta, added to scrambled eggs, omelette or risotto. Truffle oil is the next best thing – a combination of olive oil and truffle extract which can be drizzled over pasta, risotto and salads or used in salad dressings and sauces. There’s no substitute for the unique taste of a fresh truffle though.

More truffle recipes

Truffled potato and egg ravioli with porcini sauce

Beef Wellington

Jerusalem artichoke and black truffle risotto

Pasta al forno with wild mushrooms, chestnuts, burrata, fontina and truffle

Twice-baked squash soufflés with fontina and spinach sauce

Brandade de morue

Creamy truffle pizza

Roasted sirloin steak on the bone, salt baked carrots, black truffle vinaigrette

Mac 'n' cheese toastie

'Proper' chips with Cornish cheddar and black truffle

Porcini bolognese with truffle butter

Roasted stuffed chicken with celeriac and wild mushrooms

Salt cod fritters with roasted peppers

Herb crusted halibut with leeks and whipped brie

Asparagus and cod with truffle butter and flatbreads

Chicken supreme with truffles

Cjarsons

Chargrilled beef fillet with cabbage and truffle mash

Handkerchief pasta with mushroom and truffle sauce

Wild mushroom risotto

Forest truffle chicken

Rib-eye steak with Madeira sauce, onion rings, wild mushrooms and creamy mash

Tagliarini with artichoke and truffles

Baked camembert

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