La Maison de la Truffe

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 jar of French happiness. 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 joint effort by two professionals – the truffle expert since 1932 and the risotto expert - I started with some minced shallots, then added English peas – perfect with truffles – and some sliced mushrooms for fortification. Of course, I had to drizzle the finished risotto in a box with a little truffle oil from the very 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 in the summer 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 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 (caveat: 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/