2.20.2012

Black Truffle 101 黑松露初級班



Samson is an ex-coworker who just got his b-school degree from Switzerland. Knowing I'm easy to shop for souvenirs (yeah just buy me anything that has to do with food & cooking), he bought a small jar of black truffle for me - with a request for me to cook with it, and for him to eat it, of course. I didn't spend too much time researching how to use it, but I knew we had to go straight-forward Italian to bring out the flavors.

Samson 是剛在瑞士拿到 MBA 的前公司同事。大家都知道我喔咪壓給超好買的 -- 只要買任何跟食物或料理有關的就 OK,這小子在法國玩時就買了一小瓶黑松露送我,順便加一句"哪時要煮給我吃?" (機車) 我是沒做太多食譜的研究,想說松露嘛,跟義大利料理應該很搭。

I also wanted to make fresh pasta. After all, it's super straight forward, and it brings a different silky texture to the table that you can't find from dried pasta. Since Sayami and Jon were coming, I thought I'd showcase how much I've progressed in the past few months with their pasta maker (yeah still in my house). So, we had ravioli for appetizer. A friend went to Mongolia and gave us Russian caviar, so I incorporated that into the ravioli dish.

第一個 idea 是手工義大利麵,一來很容易做,二來新鮮麵條的口感很順口。我們也邀了 Sayami & Jon 來吃,順便秀一下我在他們的製麵機練習的成果 (沒錯,那台一直趴在我家...)。第一道菜是義式餃,裡面放了蝦仁,然後剛好有朋友從蒙古帶了俄羅斯的魚子醬可放在餃子上點綴。

 

I bought a Microplane last November on a business trip. Tonight was the PERFECT opportunity to utilize this tool. Microplane is probably my favorite kitchen tool, in that it is so versatile -- you can do orange zest, puree garlic, grind parmigiano, and shave TRUFFLE. To a slight disappointment, I thought we'd get much more aroma out of the little black gem, but we didn't. Need worry not, some other friend gave us a brand new bottle of truffle oil, so that made up the missing wow element.

這支 Microplane 是去年十一月去美國出差時買的,大概四百多台幣,是台灣的 1/3 價錢。這工具超好用,可拿來削橘皮、大蒜、帕瑪森乳酪,當然還有削松露! 不過,原本以為松露一削匯整間房子都松露味,並沒按這劇本演出... 還好加了另一位好友最近送的一瓶松露油,還是可以讓整個廚房都有松露味!


Dinner Menu 12 February 2012:


Appetizer
Home-made Shrimp Ravioli
手工鮮蝦義式餃
roasted cherry tomatoes, marinara butter, basil puree, Russian caviar
烤聖女番茄 番茄泥奶油 青醬 俄羅斯魚子醬

Pasta Course
Home-made Pappardelle
with Parmigiano White Cream Sauce and Black Truffle
帕瑪森白蛋黃醬手工寬蛋麵拌黑松露

Risotto Course
Mushroom Risotto with Black Truffle
蕈菇義式燉飯佐黑松露

Meat Course
Rosemary Braised-Broiled Pork Belly
炙燒迷迭香燉豬五花
shallot butter asparagus 奶油蘆筍

Dessert
Apple Turnover, Steve's Rendition
蘋果酥皮派
with vanilla ice cream 佐小美冰淇淋




Risotto was also something I picked up in 2011. I personally don't think it is as difficult as some TV chefs make it sound. After trying a few flavor combinations, I like risotto with beef broth and mushroom the best. It's always a safe bet to cook flavors you're familiar with for your guests!

義式燉飯是 2011 年學的,其實並沒有很多廚師唬人說有多難。去年試了幾種不同的口味後,覺得還是牛高湯搭配蕈菇是最好的組合,請人吃飯還是要多煮有把握的菜,而且今晚還有松露可以喇上去,絕配。


I'm not sure when, but sometime in the past two years, I noticed a dramatic increase of western chefs cooking with pork belly. I mean, pork belly! This is one of the cheapest cuts of pork out there. What happened to westerners' "fear of fat!" Maybe Anthony Bourdain converted them? This pork belly recipe is an original from myself. I discovered it from a pork belly roasting accident, where I completely under-cooked the pork, but felt too wasteful to just throw them away. So I pressure-braised it in chicken stock, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic and rosemary. Sounds scary? Try it and let me know. Forty-five minutes in the pressure cooker, and it is truly melt-in-your-mouth good.

不知哪時開始發現一堆外國的廚師都開始用豬五花來料理,五花肉柳! 在國外我記得是被人嫌到爆的肉,"喔那好油喔真不健康" (不過聽美國人講這句還蠻諷刺的)。我猜可能是安東尼伯登改變了大家對不同食材的接受度?! 今晚這五花肉的食譜是我意外發明的,有次烤五花肉沒烤熟,但又不想丟掉,就把它丟進快鍋亂加一堆調味料,結果蠻好吃的,入口即化。


Finally, the dessert...who doesn't like a good flaky turnover? I had puff pastry left in the freezer, and a few Fuji apples. The apple was sauteed with butter and brown sugar first, then placed in the dough as filling. Twenty minutes in the oven, and you have one of the easiest but "guest-impressing" dessert. Gotta go with a scoop of ice cream - warm & cold, best combo.

最後是甜點時間,之前買的那包奶油酥皮 (對,就是酥皮濃湯上面那層) 還沒用完,又很想念美國吃的 apple turnover,就想到來用酥皮做看看。蘋果是切小丁然後用奶油和紅糖先炒到軟,在包到酥皮裡烤二十分,夠簡單吧? 加一球冰淇淋,冷熱混合,超讚。

I'll get my hands on a whole fresh truffle one of these days...

期待可以拿到新鮮松露來料理的那天...