April 23, 2004
Brouillade de Truffe
[Truffled Scrambled Eggs]
The other day at lunchtime, I was on my own and starving. A glance in the fridge, and lunch rolled out before my eyes : I had one truffle left in its little jar, some eggs, fresh watercress, and fabulous walnut bread from the BoulangEpicier, which Patricia, the best neighbor in the whole wide world, had bought for me on her way home from work.
Upon closer inspection, the top of the truffle had grown a delicate little beard, white and fuzzy. I hesitated for a second, then thought well, aren't truffles a type of fungus in the first place? A little more wouldn't hurt, would it? And how often do I have truffles, bearded or otherwise, in the fridge?
I cut off the top and put the incident behind me.
I whipped up the brouillade (the name derives from "brouillé", which means "scrambled"), rinsed and seasoned the watercress, toasted the bread, and arranged all this on a plate. I sat myself comfortably at the bar, and enjoyed my classy lunch, while leafing idly through the April issue of Gourmet Magazine, which my friend Nassim kindly brought back from his recent trip to NY.
Alternate name for the recipe : "How to feel like a superstar".
Brouillade de Truffe
- 2 eggs
- 1 small truffle
- 1 teaspoon crème fraîche (substitute sour cream)
- salt, pepper
- a dab of butter
(Serves one.)
Dice the truffle. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, the truffle, and the crème fraîche, season with salt and pepper.
Heat a dab of butter in a small skillet, until melted. Pour the egg mixture in. Cook over high heat for two to three minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon to scramble, until just under the desired consistency, as the eggs will keep cooking a little even after you've turned off the heat.
Serve immediately, with a salad and toasted walnut bread.
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I love those easy but oh-so-classy meals that make one, as you said, "feel like a superstar". This sounds like something they'd serve in a very exclusive hotel...and it would only be on the menu if you were in fact a rock star or something.
I once had a left over lobster tail (from dinner at a restaurant) and made the most scrumptious, decadent lobster bisque for lunch. MMMMmmm...
I'm afraid to buy truffles because of the cost. I love seeing them at the local upscale supermarket (Wegman's), but don't love seeing the price (perhaps around $99 a pound). Maybe I could buy one piece if I knew what to do with it!
Clotilde-- you are a rock star! A genius rock star. And, my late mother-in-law, who I adored, was famous for saying, "a little mold never hurt anyone" whenever her kids would complain about a bit of mold on cheese or bread. She would do just as you did-- cut off the offending bit and eat it anyway.
"I cut off the top and put the incident behind me."
OK, this will now be my motto when I am faced with a situation like that.
Sher
C'est sûr qu'on ne va jeter une truffe pour un peu de moisissure (au prix que cela coûte !). J'adore la phrase de la mother-in-law de "bluepoppy" !
Et je vois que tu as testé aussi le cresson...
Clotilde, I know you have a copy of Gourmet already, but I'll renew my offer to send another, maybe for your proud mom?
I had bought mine on the stand, and my first subscription issue arrived earlier than I expected - and it was also the April issue, so I have two kicking around the house now.
Jennifer - In the case of lobster, doggy bags are a necessity! :)
Karen - If you do get one, I suggest doing something egg-based, I think it is the best way to bring out the truffle's flavor without over-powering it...
Bluepoppy and Sher - Glad you agree with the spirit!
Boreal - Thanks for the kind offer, I've sent you email!
not to be tiresome, but what does "le cresson" mean in English (with reference to Sylvie's post)? I don't have a French dictionary at work, and the two on-line dictionaries I asked told me that there were "no matching entries found." My dad had a similar line, by the way, about dirt, when some foodstuff or other got dropped on the floor: "a little dirt never hurt anyone." So far, he seems to have been correct.
While I've eaten my share of fuzzy foods, it's actually not a good practice. Everyone I know who is associated with cancer research will throw out anything with the least amount of mold on it. Penicillin aside, molds produce powerful carcinogens.
While totally understanding the decision with the fuzzy truffle, I, for one, prefer to continue to read about your culinary exploits and wish you the best of health.
Wendy - Cresson is watercress! I don't know what you typed into the online dictionnary, but you should drop the "le", and just enter "cresson". I recommend wordreference.com as a translation engine.
John - That's good to know. I usually go by the rule "when in doubt throw it out", but make the occasional exception. And thanks for the well wishes!
It was this on-line (and apparently useless) dictionary: http://humanities.uchicago.edu/orgs/ARTFL/forms_unrest/FR-ENG.html
I was lulled into a sense of false security by its connection to the University of Chicago. Your wordreference.com came through with watercress. Thank you. I've bookmarked it.