To me, “black gold” always referred to crude oil because of the theme song to the 60s sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies. I believe the line about oil was, “Black gold, Texas tea…” Since then, though, I have come to appreciate a different kind of black gold: the truffles from the fertile soils of Provence.
This week, I am sharing a recipe I created to showcase the beautiful black truffle you see below. It came from Les Pastras in Cadenet, a small town in the Luberon region of Provence. It was a gift from our friends Susan and Towny from the Provence WineZine. I paired a regional red wine with the dish, and you can read more about it HERE.
When creating this dish, I was careful not to cook the truffle, as heat can detract from its quality. Instead, I created a new method of bringing out the best in a truffle – I shaved the truffle onto well-warmed plates just before serving – warmed just enough to bring out the truffle’s earthy essence. Additionally, at Susan’s suggestion, I peeled the truffle and chopped the peelings into the sauce at the last minute.
While sometimes considered strong, truffles, black truffles especially, are actually delicate and need to be treated lightly, and not compete with multiple flavors. I used a truffle slicer to get paper thin shavings, but you can use a mandoline or a knife – just remember that thinner is better. The technique for cooking the mushrooms is from Julia Child. The preparation is fairly simple and the result quite elegant. If you don’t have a truffle, you can omit it completely, or drizzle your dish with authentic truffle oil (which you can order from Les Pastras).
~ David
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Provençal Pairings: Wine with FoodThe Understudy - Provence WineZine
February 6, 2021 at 7:08 am[…] “Broadway show” this week was Chicken with Truffles and Mushrooms (you can get the recipe on Cocoa & Lavender this week). One of the leading characters of the show was the truffle from Les Pastras in Provence, […]
Christina Conte
February 6, 2021 at 8:56 amOh yes please! I do love truffles, especially when I’m lucky enough to have them fresh (which is rare)! This dish is just perfect with the fresh truffle, David!
I was fortunate enough to be able to go truffle hunting a year and a half ago in Piedmont. It was supposed to be a faux hunt, where the truffle hunter would just explain how they find truffles, but his dog had other plans! He kept finding truffles so we were even able to help dig them out! Amazing experience!
Cocoa & Lavender
February 6, 2021 at 10:02 amHow fun that you had a truffle hunting day, Christina! I would love to do that!
John / Kitchen Riffs
February 6, 2021 at 8:57 amI haven’t cooked with truffles for a very long time. And more often with the white Italian ones rather than the black ones — they’re marvelous shaved over pasta. The black ones have more flavor, though, and do pair extremely well with mushrooms. And of course any meat or poultry that you want to feature in a dish. 🙂 Terrific recipe — very creative. Thanks.
Cocoa & Lavender
February 6, 2021 at 10:03 amFunny, John – I find the Italian white truffles to be the strongest. But I love them all! Glad you like my preparation!
Eha Carr
February 6, 2021 at 4:16 pmOh David – now you have made me daydream on a Sunday morning ! Can think of few ingredients I love to have more in my kitchen – am peagreen with envy reading your recipe beginning with ‘1 truffle’ ! The minimum price for that being $A180 in Australia I would not be able to replicate too often and usually just a few shavings have to do 🙂 !!! What a glorious recipe you present. But – may I ‘show off’ . . . ? Australia only began growing truffles 20 years ago at the beginning of the century . . . they are now grown in five states and Australia is the 4th largest grower in the world with the industry having become a huge export money spinner. I have over a dozen black AND white truffle growers within just a couple of hours drive . . . indeed have to check whether the usual wonderful autumnal truffle hunts + unreal lunches following at very reasonable cost are on . . . since this is an outdoor activity:perchance ! Love to watch the dogs !!!
Cocoa & Lavender
February 7, 2021 at 11:25 amI have been reading (with serious envy) about the Australian truffle business. We have a few who have cult over truffles in Oregon and Seattle but certainly not in driving distance. I hope you get to make this when the season is right!
Chef Mimi
February 7, 2021 at 7:39 amAnd you didn’t invite me?!!! That looks so lovely. I’ve never actually touched a truffle in my own kitchen, so to me you’re quite lucky to have this experience. I went out to dinner years ago with my daughter in NYC, NoMad, I think, and we were introduced to the truffle that would be on our pasta dish! Very amusing. And seriously, did they actually use the same one?!!! A beautiful dish.
Cocoa & Lavender
February 7, 2021 at 11:26 amSeriously, wouldn’t it be fun to cook together? I do love the pomp and circumstance of introducing you to your truffle – I’m surprised they didn’t slice it tableside!
2pots2cook
February 7, 2021 at 9:38 amHa ! Guess what ! I just made truffle tagliatelle for lunch yesterday to post after Easter treats. We are on the same road again 🙂 Isn’t your dish overloaded with them ; the flavours are so intense ….. at least for us …
Cocoa & Lavender
February 7, 2021 at 11:28 amWe are often in the same page, my friend! The truffle, after travel twice (from France to New Hampshire, and then New Hampshire to Arizona) might have weakened its intensity a bit, as they were not too strong. And it was a thin coating on the plate – just perfect.
sippitysup
February 8, 2021 at 10:10 amI’m blushing! That is an obscene amount of truffles on the plate (he said lustily…) GREG
Cocoa & Lavender
February 10, 2021 at 3:19 pmI think it looks more obscene than it was. And,besides, isn’t obscenity in the eye of the beholder?
Frank
February 9, 2021 at 6:25 amWhat a gorgeous dish. And what a brilliant ida for warming the truffle slices without actually cooking them. You’ve managed to turn even a chicken breast into something very special indeed.
And yes, “black gold” has the same connotations for me, lol! I used to love that show when I was a kid. I wanted to live in that house so badly… not much chance of that, sadly. It recently sold for $150 million… If you’ve ever seen pictures, the real house and gardens are apparently even more palatial than it appears in the TV show.
Cocoa & Lavender
February 10, 2021 at 3:21 pmI have never thought to look up the real place, Frank – I will be doing that soon! I would love to see what it really looked like.
Glad you likd the dish — fun to create, and I used the o ally raised chicken so it really had flavor. And the truffle didn’t hurt any!
Jeff the Chef
February 9, 2021 at 8:32 amWhat a beautiful dish, David! And what an extravagant gift to receive!
Cocoa & Lavender
February 10, 2021 at 3:22 pmYes, Jeff, I am a very fortunate man.
Raymund
February 9, 2021 at 1:41 pmWow thats a lot of truffles, I would want to have a gift like that too. So jealous!
Cocoa & Lavender
February 10, 2021 at 3:23 pmI think any of us would like it, Raymund! I hope you get your hands on one someday!
sherry
February 9, 2021 at 10:40 pmyou know, i don’t think i’ve ever had truffles. i’ve had truffle oil but it’s always so old by the time it gets to australia … it just has that powdery, talcum, mouldy taste! so i’ve never understood the attraction but i bet it’s altogether different when fresh. love your photo of the dish! looks so generous and delicious too!
Cocoa & Lavender
February 10, 2021 at 3:23 pmThanks, Sherry – I have heard they are producing really good truffle oil in Australia. I wonder if you had some fresh stuff if you would like it better?
Fran @ G'day Souffle'
February 10, 2021 at 8:57 amWhat a generous gift! Once, I went into Urbani Truffles store in NYC and the fresh truffles cost $90 per ounce.Maybe I’ll have to make do with truffle oil. Still, those truffles must really dress up your delicious sauce! BTW,I remember singing the theme song for Beverley Hills Hillbillies as I walked to ‘junior high school ‘back in the day (now called ‘middle school).
Cocoa & Lavender
February 10, 2021 at 3:25 pmI remember singing both that and the Green Acres themes… and probably Petticoat Junction, too. Good times. I think this would be good with truffle oil, but $90/ounce isn’t too bad. Maybe worth the splurge sometime?
Ron
February 11, 2021 at 4:09 amTop Chef worthy David! A wonderful-looking and I’m sure fine tasting dish. I know the aroma was wonderful. We actually harvest black truffles here (Gotland Island), but I’ve never cooked with a whole one. Wow, what a fine gift.
I was a huge The Beverly Hillbillies fan, but haven’t thought of them in ages. Well, I’m off to search YouTube for old Beverly Hillbillies episodes to watch…
Cocoa & Lavender
February 13, 2021 at 2:47 pmYou know, Ron, that is a great idea! I need to watch a few old episodes, too! The dish did have an incredible aroma — and the flavor was just what I wanted. Thanks for your kind comment!
Gloria Roa Baker
February 11, 2021 at 6:33 pmDavid how are you doing? this plate looks terrific and delicious !! and really you are a fortunate man!
send you love and hugs!!
Cocoa & Lavender
February 13, 2021 at 2:48 pmThanks so much, Gloria! I rea;;y appreciate your comment. We are doing well and hope the same for you.
Aarthi
February 16, 2021 at 11:13 pmWow, This truffle is new to me, I have only used truffle oil before and this is sucha a lovely gift! Your presentations looks fabulous , and I’m intrigued by the flavors you’ve incorporated, I wish I could taste it!
Cocoa & Lavender
February 18, 2021 at 7:33 amThe interesting thing about black truffles is that their flavor is much more subtle than well meet with them. I hope someday you get to try one.
Valentina
February 17, 2021 at 11:36 pmDavid, this looks and sounds amazing. Sadly, truffles are one of the only things I can’t eat. (GASP!) It’s so odd, I can eat all sorts of mushrooms, but have a bad reaction to truffles. (Fortunately, those of the chocolate variety, I’m okay with.) 😉 ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
February 18, 2021 at 7:35 amStrange little food reactions never surprise me, Valentina! I think you would enjoy this dish without the truffles. Glad you can have the chocolate variety, though…
Inger @ Art of Natural Living
March 1, 2021 at 9:29 amAbsolutely decadent!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 6, 2021 at 8:56 amYes, indeed. Only a once-in-a-while thing!