Truffled Carrots Vichyssoise
A Truffle a Day — Day 20
Carrottes Vichyssoise, another classic — along with the traditional leek and potato soup — from the French town of Vichy, is a succulent side dish well suited to accompany lamb or any other meat of choice.
Vichy is known for its curative waters, which is the main reason for the use of sparkling water in this recipe, honoring the signature ingredient of that region. If you don’t have sparkling water, just add tap water along with a pinch of baking soda.
Ingredients:
6–8 large carrots
3–4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon sugar
Sparkling water, enough to cover
A few sprigs of parsley or fresh thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
Truffle butter, to finish
Preparation:
Wash and peel carrots and cut into rondelles, along the bias (or leave them whole if they are young and tender). Put in a saucepan along with the butter, salt and pepper, and just barely cover with sparkling water. (Vichy water if available, but if not, any other sparkling variety will work.)
Bring to a boil, lower heat and cover. Simmer for about 40 minutes, or until water is almost evaporated and carrots are almost caramelized. Check occasionally, adding more water if necessary to keep from going dry. Just before serving, remove the lid and let most of the remaining water evaporate.
Stir in some truffle butter (or add a grating of fresh truffles and a bit of extra butter), and serve topped with a slight sprinkling of very finely chopped parsley or herb of choice.
A Truffle a Day is a series of one-a-day truffle recipes, excerpted from the soon-to-be-released Cooking with Truffles: A Chef’s Guide. All recipes can be prepared with or without truffles, depending on the voluptuousness of your pantry.
