Risotto aux Truffes d’Été
I was saving this for a rainy day, but I suppose today was the rainy day. Therefore, I had finally made up my mind and broke the seal to this French happiness in a jar. Rest assured, despite the common myth, the French can cook pasta, rice and gnocchi; yes, they can and very well, too. Nonetheless, La Maison de la Truffe had delegated the making of this luxurious, almost instant – approximately 12 minutes – risotto with summer truffles to the professionals: Product of Italy.
Not entirely trusting something that comes out of a jar, even if it was the result of a joint effort by two professionals – the truffle expert since 1932 and the world's only risotto expert nation - I started with some minced shallots, then added English peas – perfect with truffles – and some sliced mushrooms for fortification. Then, just to be sure, I drizzled the finished risotto with a little truffle oil from the same La Maison de la Truffe.
My fear was unfounded, however, since the few slices of black truffles had survived the unforgiving winter in New York in the safety of the glass jar; and moreover, despite having been cooked for 12 minutes on the stove, the truffles still permeated the air with its intoxicating fragrance and brought a little bit of Paris to rainy New York. And, the rice; it was perfectly al dente.
Ingredients (according to the lable):
Rice (69%)
Cream – powdered
Butter
Grana padano – powdered
Corn starch
Egg yolks
Freeze dried black summer truffles (1.2%) – like 6% of fresh truffles*
Pecorino – powdered
Flavors – secret
Salt
*Verbatim from the box.
The use of less pungent grana padano makes sense, so does the gentler pecorino. Now we know what to do when the fresh truffles arrive. At this point, their online store is not up and running yet, but you can call them to order your own risotto and other delectables (Warning: do not get the foie gras pate).
La Maison de la Truffe
Address: 19 Place de la Madeleine, 75008 Paris, France
Phone: +33-1-42-65-53-22 (Fear not, they speak English.)
Website: http://www.maison-de-la-truffe.com/
Update 1: Also in Bangkok now.
Update 2: Of course, by now the online store is up and running.
