Truffled Omelette
A Truffle a Day — Day 11
It was in 2007 that I fell deeply and irrevocably in love with truffles. The month was January, and a chilly mistral swept over the soft, grey curves of a wintry Provence, carrying with it the scent of wild rosemary and thyme, and the tang of woodsmoke rising from kitchen fires fed by sarment (discarded grape vines) left over from orchard trim.
I had made the trek by train from Paris, an hour north of my then-home in the Loiret, speeding south through fields of winter wheat, past pastures inhabited by Charolais — the prized beef cattle from central and southeastern France — under towering remains of medieval castles long abandoned by their lords and ladies, past village after village, each one clustered around an ancient church, built out of stone and faith.
The Clos d’Alari is where I landed, ferried from the railway station in the dark of night by the tall, slender figure of Nathalie and her teckel-spaniel, Ubu. The vehicle was an old farm truck and it rattled and shook like any good working companion. It smelled like dogs and saucisson, and something else dusky and musky and enchanting.
That something else was truffles, specifically Périgord truffles (Tuber melanosporum), that mysterious fungal beast also known by the moniker Black Gold, Black Diamond, Black Princess, French Black Winter Truffle, and Truffe du Périgord. Fruity, musky, floral, earthy, pungent, feral, elusive, captivating, once it grabs your senses you are lost (or found!) forever.
One of the first dishes I tasted in that magical environment was a truffled omelette. Simple and satisfying, this should please all palates.
Ingredients:
2–3 eggs per person, stored overnight with truffles
1–2 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
A few slivers fresh mozzarella cheese (optional)
Truffle, to taste
Preparation:
Beat eggs with salt and pepper and add grated or sliced truffle. Heat butter and slip eggs into the pan. Cook over low heat, gently lifting the outside edges to let uncooked egg drift under as you go. When the center is almost set, turn up the heat slightly to brown the bottom. If using cheese, introduce slightly before raising heat.
When the omelette is done to your taste (the French like them almost dripping!) fold in half and slide onto a heated serving platter. Slice and divide among guests, garnishing with a small amount of finely chopped parsley or chives, or more truffles.
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. Previous recipes include: Truffled Corn Chowder, Truffled Grits, Truffled Coffee, and Truffled French Bistro Cake.
