<p>OK, I meet another orchardist yesterday at breakfast. In the fall he grovels around for mushrooms. (wife works for the local school district, hence this post is legal here.) He collected and resold three thousand pounds of various mushrooms last year. He happened to have several pounds of white truffles and gave me about 10 of the gems. </p>
<p>Wife cooked them today by adding them to her tofu dish as the final ingredient and after cooking. I can’t discern any flavor difference. </p>
<p>What are we doing wrong and what dishes should these nuggets be used in? </p>
<p>Direct from the source, qualities available.</p>
<p>Tofu’s not enough by itself to overwhelm the truffle flavors, but there might’ve been some other spices or something that would overpower the truffles? Also, tofu’s mostly protein, and I think truffles need something with oil or fat to really shine (butter, cheese… best stuff I’ve ever had was macaroni and tillamook cheddar with black truffle).</p>
<p>Also may be that the truffles aren’t too fresh. I wonder if he was giving them away because they were older, which means that they’ve probably kind of lost a lot of that magic truffle quality. (“Free white truffles”-- if it sounds too good to be true, it might be!) Truffles start to lose a ton of their flavor three days or so after they’re dug up, unless they’re preserved. Sounds like these weren’t preserved.</p>
<p>Might be that they’re white truffles, which are great raw, but black truffles hold up a little better with cooking.</p>
<p>not too unusual in Oregon. I’ve personally have pick 20 # of Chanterelles and given away like amount and have received like amount. Us farmers past and present only give the best to each other. </p>
<p>Sounds good receipe. I am thinking about going to the coast next week to do some clamming, and other things. May be a clam and mushroom white sauce. And other with tillamook cheese (which is local to me)</p>
<p>Wife cooked the tofu with the kitchen sink. Maybe “with other flavors” masked the truffle.</p>
<p>Rule 6 was violated big time (fresh tomatoes added).
Rule 2. Use oil, butter. This was a soup.
Rule 5. Use black. We had white. </p>
<p>I have to admit truffles and tofu don’t seem like a natural pairing to me. :)</p>
<p>We used to go to an Italian restaurant in Germany that would put together special truffle menus in the fall. I know they just grated them over buttered pasta for one dish and over scrambled eggs for another. I think there might also have been lobster, but that might have been another time.</p>
<p>white pork or chix sliced into bitesize strips, browned in stirfry. Set aside
A light green lettuce or mild cabbage either chinese or head, sliced as the meat.
Chanterelles, cut into pieces. If the mushrooms are the main portion of the dish then keep them more whole. (If the mushrooms are an equal part or lesser part of the mix, then make the mushrooms into smaller pieces closer to the size of the other ingredients)
suate (lower heat than stir fry) mushrooms with garlic, add medium dry white wine, add meat and vegetables,
seasoned with white pepper, sea salt.</p>
<p>Chanterelles will cook out a lot of moisture, so easy on the wine. Add a little starch to the wine to make a thicken glaze over the mix. </p>
<p>Serve with a light red or the medium white wine used in cooking.</p>
<p>I imagine beef or meat balls would work but the meat should not be overly seasoned since you are trying to bring out the flavor of the mushrooms. ( We thought that the truffles would be of stronger flavor and goofed the dish)</p>
<p>Pound some boned, skinned, trimmed chicken breasts to tenderize and flatten.</p>
<p>Sautee in butter with a bit of olive oil over fairly high heat until golden on both sides and almost cooked through. Transfer to shallow baking/serving dish. Season with salt and fresh pepper. Shave white truffles over, top with thin slice of swiss cheese. Deglaze browning pan with white vermouth or white wine, reduce and pour over chicken. Run under broiler until cheese is melted and a bit bubbly.</p>