The Anatomy of a Black Summer Truffle

In honor of summer truffle season, here is a quick primer for those of you unfamiliar with this delectable fungus.

So what is a truffle anyway? Simply put, it is the fruiting body of an underground mushroom, normally found in close association with trees. There are hundreds of species of truffles, but a few are highly prized in the kitchen.

Summer truffles (also known as scorzane) are in season from early June to early August. They are mostly harvested in the Italian Provinces of Umbria and Marche, but they are also found in lesser quantity in neighboring provinces. (We recently ate our share of locally harvested truffles while travelling in Abruzzo.) 

Unlike their winter cousins, summer truffles are more affordable and easier to source. In NYC, there are a number of specialty shops which carry them.  I purchased this fresh truffle at Eataly, where they are currently selling them for $17 per ounce. This truffle weighs less than one ounce and cost $11.

Black summer truffles range in color from light brown to dark brown and have large, wart like bumps on their exterior (which are arranged in a characteristic polygon pattern). Their interior is equally striking, with prominent white marbling against a pale cream to light brown background.

When purchasing, look for truffles which are firm to the touch and dense. 

Compared to winter truffles, summer truffles are said to have a more "delicate aroma". But don't let this description fool you. Summer truffles can be quite aromatic, with a scent that hints of earthiness, hazelnut, chocolate and vanilla.

In general, summer truffles have a longer shelf life than the winter varieties, but are best if eaten quickly.  If you need to store the truffle, it is important to wrap it in a clean paper towel and then place it in an air tight container (a zip lock bag works well). Because truffles release a great deal of moisture, the paper towel should be changed after 24 hours.

Truffles grow in the ground, so they need to be well cleaned before use. Generally rinsing them under water will do.  If your truffle is particularly dirty, you can also use a soft kitchen brush to scrup off the dirt.

Truffles do not stand up to heat, so they are typically incorporated into the dish after the cooking process is complete. Alternatively, they are simply shaved onto the top with a truffle shaver. 

Truffles are a lovely addition to pasta, risotto, eggs, and sauces.  In some regions of Italy, they are also incorporated into cheese production.  I will write more about the truffled caciocavallo cheese (made in Agnone) at a later time.

Stone Fruit from the Farmer's Market

This is the time of year when stone fruits (peaches, apricots, nectarines and plums) are at their peak. And this year, the fruit has been particularly sweet due to a hot and dry summer in NY state.

I purchased this beautiful selection of stone fruit (from the Prospect Hill Orchards) at the green market this morning. The fruit is almost too pretty to eat.

Classic Sour Cherry Pie

I had no intention of baking a sour cherry pie 2 weeks ago.  Really, truly.  But then, I went to the greenmarket and saw a bucket of sour cherries, and what could I do?  Walk away from a bucket of sour cherries? That would be madness.  And besides, I was hosting a meeting on Monday night, so why not bake a pie in the 90 degree heat?

To make a 9 inch pie sour cherry pie, you need approximately 2 1/4 pounds of cherries. If you are using frozen cherries, this is equivalent to 6-8 cups of fruit. Before removing the pits, wash and dry the cherries and remove the stems.

Pitting the fruit might seem a chore, but it actually goes quite fast.  Unlike their sweet cousins, sour cherries have very soft flesh and the pits come out very easily.  Some people use a bent paper clip to remove the pit.  I use a cherry pitter.

I made a standard filling, which included the pitted cherries, sugar and a small amount of tapioca as a thickener. After adding the sugar and tapioca to the fruit, it is important to let the filling stand for approximately 10 minutes so that the sugar dissolves and the fruit releases its' juice. 

For the pie crust, I used Cook's Illustrated "Fool Proof Pie Crust". This recipe has gotten rave reviews across the blogoshere, but I have never tried it.  The secret?  Adding vodka to the crust. According to the good folks at Cook's Illustrated, this recipe works......

since water bonds with flour to form gluten, too much water makes a crust tough. But rolling out dry dough is difficult. For a pie dough recipe that baked up tender and flaky and rolled out easily every time, we found a magic ingredient: vodka. Using vodka, which is just 60 percent water, gave us an easy-to-roll crust recipe with less gluten and no alcohol flavor, since the alcohol vaporizes in the oven. 

The dough is a bit on the moist side, but it is very easy to roll out. It is also very very easy to patch. (Notice the patch job on the top of my crust above.) 

I realize that a lattice top would have been more traditional, but practicality trumped tradition on Sunday afternoon. So after placing a few pats of butter on the filling, I put on the top crust on, crimped it and put it into the oven. 

I was very pleased with how the pie came out.  The cherry filling was delicious, and the crust was buttery and flacky. But the absolute best part? There were leftovers. 

 The printable recipe is here.

Purslane Salad with Feta Cheese and Olives

This week, a large bunch of purslane was included in my CSA vegetable share. If you have never heard of purslane, you are probably not alone.  Most Americans know it as a weed, which rapidly spreads in the garden. But it turns out that it is also an edible herb which is rich in omega fatty acids and vitamins. It is also really tasty!

Purslane is native to Asia but now grows (wild and cultivated) around the world. The herb is particularly popular in Middle Eastern, Greek and Mexican cuisines, where it is eaten both raw and cooked. Given the recent heat wave in NYC, I opted for the "raw" (i.e. salad) route yesterday for dinner.  

Purslane makes a very good salad on its' own -- simply dressed with good olive oil, sea salt and pepper. But it also pairs very nicely with other herbs (such as parsley, mint and oregano), tomatoes, cucumbers and salty foods (such as olives and capers). This recipe contains all of the above, as well as feta cheese.  Basically, a playful twist on a traditional Greek salad. 

To assemble the salad, simply mix the chopped purslane*, herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers, scallions and olives together in a non-reactive bowl and lightly dress the mixture with the lemon vinaigrette. The original recipe recommended sprinkling the feta on the salad.  I mixed it into the herbs and vegetables, which evenly distributed the cheese throughout the salad. 

This recipe works equally well as a light main course or an accompaniment to grilled red meat. Either way, it worth a try if you come across this unusual herb at the farmer's market (or in your CSA basket).

The printable recipe is here.

*Because purslane grows low to the ground, it tends to collect sand and dirt in its tangled sprigs. As a result, take care to thoroughly wash (and dry) it before use.