Tempting Truffle Tasting - Some ideas for using black truffles

Generally speaking the black truffle (Tuber melansporum vittadini) is warmed or cooked before eating to enhance the flavour. The white truffle (tuber magnatum Pico) is eaten raw, sliced or grated over compatible foods.

Risotto: bury some fresh truffles in the rice to infuse with truffle scent 24-48 hours. Finely slice the truffles, warm them in a little butter, and sprinkle over the cooked risotto.

Truffle sandwich: Toast some good bread, then spread lavishly with pureed truffle; or farmhouse cheese warmed and covered with sliced truffle.

Pasta: with buttery truffle sauce. Lescure butter, shaved truffle, parmesan and fresh basil.

Vinaigrette: stand some sliced or grated truffle in a simple vinaigrette to add flavour.

Carpaccio: shave some top quality beef or veal into slices (partiallyfreeze it first to make it easier to slice thinly) Sprinkle generously with shaved parmesan, preferably reggiano, and shavings of truffle. Drizzle over your best olive oil.

Eggs: seal fresh free range eggs in a container with truffles to infuse with the scent. Cook them as you normally would.

Honey: bury a truffle in a jar of good honey for 48 hours. Drizzle it over creamy farmhouse cheese and serve with walnuts.

Salad: with other funghi, a plate of 1/3 sliced wild mushrooms (or well flavoured field mushrooms), 1/3 finely sliced parmesan, 1/3 finely sliced truffle, with a dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.