12292 Baked Whole Truffles in Salt Serves 4 Wed Aug 06 00:59:56 -0700 2008 Mon Feb 02 07:13:49 -0800 2009 Licensed http://www.chow.com/recipes/12292 Mon, 02 Feb 2009 15:13:49 GMT For dreamers and truffle “rustlers,” here's a dish you'll remember all your life. Serve along with a cruet of imported walnut oil and a good bottle of Médoc.

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  • About 35 minutes before serving, preheat oven to 425°F.
  • Wrap each truffle in a slice of fatback.
  • Line four brioche molds with aluminum foil.
  • Mix the salt and egg whites in a bowl. Make a layer of the salt mixture about ½-inch deep in the bottom of each mold. Place a truffle in each and spoon the salt mixture around the sides of each truffle, pressing the mixture with your fingertips to pack. Spoon at least a ½-inch layer of the salt mixture over the tops of the truffles. Press firmly with your palm to completely seal truffles in salt. Flatten the salt so that when it's turned out, the casing won't wobble. (The recipe can be prepared to this point 1 to 2 hours ahead.)
  • Bake 25 minutes for medium-sized raw truffles, 15 minutes for canned (cooked). Remove from the oven; turn out and remove the foil.
  • Place each truffle on a serving dish. Crack each casing lightly and remove the truffle. The truffles will not be salty. In fact, you will probably need to season them with a pinch of salt.
  • To preserve truffles raw, or once you've opened the can, place the unused quantity in an airtight bottle with a light olive oil to cover. The truffles will keep for a month. Truffles pass on their aroma to fats and oils better than to alcohol. (Often people store truffles in Madeira or port or Cognac, but Monsieur Pébeyre advises against this, calling it wasteful.) You can get good use from the olive oil afterward in salads, on cold cooked leeks flavored with fresh mint, or simply on some blanched thin slices of celery root.
  • To preserve whole fresh truffles, keep them packed in raw rice for 1 to 2 weeks in the freezer or refrigerator. (The rice can later be used in a wonderful risotto.) Freezing for long periods is not a good idea, since truffles tend to dry out. If you do freeze them, do not defrost. Use them straight from the freezer just as you do herbs.
    • ]]>     http://www.chow.com Paula Wolfert 50 Main 4 small whole raw truffles of similar size, or substitute 4 canned truffles, preferably première cuisson (first cooking)

    ]]>     4 paper-thin slices pork fatback, blanched if salted

    ]]>     ¾ pound coarse kosher salt

    ]]>     2 large egg whites

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