Black Diamonds

This could quite possibly be the world's most expensive breakfast. There's no other ingredient around that is as prized as the truffle and now 'tis the season. Presenting, a truffled omelette [emph-A-sis on the truffle part ;)] cooked with a bit too much butter and crowned with slithers of fresh black truffle, the eggs still a bit runny of course. It's a once a year occurrence and a culinary splurge, for sure. Miam-miam! 

Omelette with fresh black truffle: it's a deadly simple recipe to really show-off the flavour of the truffle. Now I know what it really tastes like!

Costing a very pretty penny (for a black diamond!), truffles can be found at our local farmer's markets for a strictly limited season. The truffles (or should I say truffle chunk) that we got our hands on were from Lowes Mount Truffles in Oberon, NSW. Another more famous Australian truffière (or whatever they are called, 'cultivators') is Manjimup Truffles from WA. Black truffles or Tuber melanosporum really are such beautiful things, organically formed and speckled white but etched inside.

Hai ya! This photograph is just pure indulgence. Photo credit: Fx Cuisine

'They say' that truffles taste differently to each individual, they are perhaps an acquired taste. They're earthiness and texture really is something entirely unique. A true gem in the foodie world. And it's no wonder, because they only grow amongst specific trees - hazelnut and oak for example and found only by trained dogs or pigs (although the latter tend to scoff them, unabashedly). Finally, we have started to grow them on our shores, Australia being the largest producer outside of the EU. These days there's even the annual Truffle Festival with truffle hunts and cooking classes held in the Canberra region. We can definitely hold our own!

RECIPE - it's a cinch

Truffled Omelette from Andrew McConnell's Cumulus Inc.

Serves 1 (greedy guts)

Oh, this is making me hungry. The foaming butter just tops it all off, not to mention those truffles!

Ingredientsss

2 eggs (choose free range or organic, you know the deal)

1 tbsp milk

pinch of salt

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

pinch of chives, chopped

1 tsp parmesan, finely grated

10g sliced fresh truffle (go nuts, i say)

1 tsp crème fraîche

pinch freshly ground white pepper

Method

1. Whisk eggs, milk and salt together at high speed for 2 mins

2. Melt butter with oil in pain over medium heat

3. Once butter is foaming, add egg and stir before reducing the heat to low

4. Sprinkle over chives and parmesan, then scatter truffle slices evenly on top

5. Dollop over crème fraîche and sprinkle over pepper, then cook for ~30 seconds

6. When underside of omelette is golden, and the egg is almost set, fold omelette in half and cook for another 30 secs before turning out

To appease my obsessive-compulsive streak I have collated a number of truffle/egg recipes from the interwebs. Choose your poison...

French Food Safari with Guillaume Brahimi (video) Scrambled Egg with Truffle

Gourmet Traveller's Truffle Omelette

and...

Oh mercy. Katie Quinn Davies' Black Truffle Fried Egg, with the addition of blue cheese and mushies. Source: What Katie Ate

From the lauded truffle shops in Paris to the humblest jar of truffle honey, everyone can savour the flavour of truffles. The magic of this ingredient is that you only need a few grams to really transform a dish, a light dusting over egg pasta or risotto is all that required. Bellissimo.

Sniff it out! Why have a truffle dog when you can have a truffle pig? Infinitely cooler. Photo credit: The Times UK

Thanks for reading!
xGourmand