A Truffle Experience – When you have a truffle that costs as much as an airline ticket out of the Houston heat, you don’t want to waste a single shaving

I recently went shopping at Central Market and stood in front of a shelf in the produce section staring at a plastic container holding 3 little black truffles. Salivating, I was debating whether or not to buy them. It was unusual to see them this time of year since peak season is in the fall. And, well, there is the cost…$259 a pound. When they are in season, it can cost up to $400 or more a pound.

But I knew the same thing would happen again as it did last fall. If I didn’t buy them now and changed my mind later in the day, these little morsels would be gone. And they were probably purchased by one of the many wonderful chefs in Houston.
I love truffles and their aroma. This is not of the chocolate version either, although I adore chocolate truffles too. One of my bucket list things to do is to go to France or Italy for a culinary experience of hunting truffles and cooking them with a local chef.

Found around the roots of oak and hazelnut trees, pigs hunt them and now with trained dogs because the dogs, unlike the pigs won’t eat them once they find it. A truffle has a very unique taste. It really doesn’t taste like anything else. It is very aromatic and distinct. It tastes earthy, like the earthiness of mushrooms. And if I were going to compare the nuttiness to an actual nut, I would probably choose a walnut or hazelnut.

So here I was in possession of three small black truffles and my initial, thought was: OMG what do I do with them and how long will they last? The truth is, the truffle was a delicacy that I didn’t want to waste, because of its rarity, status and outrageous expense. The three little truffles cost about $20 and were packaged with some risotto rice.

I found the head of the produce department and asked him, “How do I take care of it?” I realized that I sounded as if I were taking a new pet home. “Do I store it in a paper bag like other mushrooms that I purchase? He told me the truffle didn’t need to be in darkness or a paper bag, but it did have to be kept cool and dry in the door of the fridge where it wouldn’t be too cold. The container had holes in it so it would get air.

I thought back to the first time I’d ever eaten truffles. It was at a quaint little restaurant in Rome, Italy. A very cute waiter, who I flirted with, stood beside me relentlessly shaving flakes of truffles into my bowl of pasta. It was a wonderful meal. I left the restaurant hours later, and after many glasses of wine,walking back to my hotel feeling like a fungus drunk. Or maybe it was the wine. All I know is that this Southern belle girl fell in love with truffles that weren’t of the chocolate variety. I began to understand the allure of truffles, and yet, I didn’t know how to adequately describe it if anyone asked.

OK, so I was eager to find what dishes to use these little black “gold” nuggets in. I search the Internet for the best recipes. Eggs and risotto seem to be the best dishes. However, I did shave some of it over some sautéed spinach with shallots, and it was delicious. Even the leftovers were.

I decided to invite a couple of friends over for risotto. Before they arrived, in my kitchen, I took my truffle and shaved off a few experimental curlicues, releasing an intense, intoxicating, nutty scent. Once you have smelled a truffle, you long to smell it again and again.

Later, when my friends arrived, it was time to part with one of my little truffles. It was hard to think of it. I shaved some fragments of blackness into the creamy arborio rice, and I knew I should have added a whole lot more, but I just couldn’t do it. It was one of the rare times that my very generous characteristic was stalled. It amazed me that such a luxury food–a symbol of excess and wealth–could bring on such feelings of stinginess.

We sat in blissful silence throughout dinner. None of us could bear to talk as we lifted our forks to our mouths, soaking in the fragrances of butter, onions and truffles.

The next morning, I opened the refrigerator and looked at the remaining truffles in its little container wondering what I what do with them. That evening, I grilled a filet mignon and then sautéed spinach with shallots and some truffle shavings. It was delicious.

I took the remaining small piece of truffle, chopped it into tiny bits and dropped them into a pan of scrambled eggs just before they were fully cooked. The eggs were the best I had ever had, punctuated every now and then with that intense, surprising flavor. I gave not a thought to cholesterol.

Now the little truffles were gone. Like all things in my life, I was a hedonist and enjoyed every delectable bite!

Gulf Snapper Wrapped in Cabbage Leaves

I am always looking for great recipes that feature fish because I try to eat healthier these days for weight loss, and to be heart smart. For me, fish is sometimes a culinary challenge. I tend to overcook it. But this recipe is tasty, yet elegant enough to impress dinner guests. Because it is wrapped in cabbage leaves, the fish stays nice and moist. The fennel gives added flavor to the vegetables.

Give this recipe a try. I gave it to my boss to cook and she successfully cooked it for dinner guests in her home. She said I needed to give her a recipe every two weeks for her try and now realizes why I enjoyed cooking.

GULF SNAPPER WRAPPED IN CABBAGE LEAVES

4 big leaves of cabbage (Buy a big enough head of cabbage that has bigger leaves to do the wrap.)
4 small fillets of Gulf snapper, or other white fish
½ cup of finely chopped cabbage
½ cup of finely chopped fennel
½ cup of finely chopped shallots
½ cup of finely chopped carrots
2 tablespoons of finely chopped celery
1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley
½ stick of butter (You can use a little less if you like to make more heart healthy)
2 tablespoon of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste.

Beurre Monte:
2 tablespoons of water
1 stick of butter

Grape Tomatoes:
1 ½ cups grape tomatoes
¼ cup of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Blanch the cabbage leaves in boiling water for 5 minutes. Cool down fast in ice water. Strain the water from the cabbage. Sauté all the chopped vegetables and herbs with olive oil and butter in a pan 5-7 minutes, until they soften a bit. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, prepare the Beurre Monte by bringing the water to a boil. Start whisking in the butter in a little at a time. This becomes an emulsion.

Cut grape tomatoes in half; combine them with the olive oil and salt and pepper. Let them simmer in a saucepan over low heat for 10 minutes.

Start the cabbage roll by placing a tablespoon of vegetables on top of each cabbage leaf. Then salt and pepper the fish, setting it atop the vegetables. Glaze the fish fillet with beurre monte. Wrap it into a roll. You can also tie this with butcher’s twine. Place in a pan and bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes at 350F. Serve with grape tomatoes spooned on top and sides. Serves 4.

Lemon Angel Hair Pasta – My Godsons Love It!

Lemon Angel Hair Pasta – My Godsons Love It!

Last night I cooked dinner for my Godsons and their parents while visiting them in Denver. I wanted to cook something really good, but I had a specific request….it had to be vegetarian.

Both of my Godsons have made the decision to be vegetarian because of their animal rights concerns and food production process concerns. Yes, they are 14 and 11 years old, and made this decision on their own. Although their parents do enjoy meat and fish, they honor their sons’ decision, which is really cool.

So I made this dish and they went absolutely wild over it. George had three helpings, and John had four. I served this with a salad of butter lettuce with macadamia nuts drizzled with a dressing of olive oil and lemon juice. John, the younger one, who doesn’t really like salads, loved it. It was a great meal and they marveled at my culinary skills. They asked when I was moving in with them!

Here is the recipe:

Lemon Angel Hair Pasta

Ingredients
1 pound Angel Hair Pasta
About 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, coat the pan
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped, more if you really like garlic
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 lemons, zested and juiced
¼ cup of Capers, more if you love capers
½ to ¾ cup heavy cream
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
½ cup (10 or 12 leaves) fresh basil, very thinly sliced

Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and drop the pasta into the pot. (Don’t put oil in the water because it makes the pasta slick and the sauce won’t adhere to it.)

Heat a large deep skillet over low heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil and garlic and crushed red pepper flakes.
When the pasta has been cooking about 5 minutes, add lemon juice, a ladle of the cooking water from the pasta and the cream to the garlic and oil. Raise heat a bit to bring sauce to a bubble.

Drain pasta when it still has a good bite to it, al dente. Add the capers, lemon zest, basil, and half of the cheese to the cream sauce. Season the sauce with salt, to taste. Add pasta to pan and turn off heat. Toss the pasta with sauce a minute or 2, allowing it time to soak up the sauce.

Top the plates of pasta or platter with remaining cheese, and parsley.