There is no better way to enjoy truffles than having a gourmet truffle grilled cheese sandwich. It is a creative way of using fresh truffles after a good hunt. Truffles are a rare delicacy loved by many for their unique flavor and strong aroma. You can buy or hunt them yourself, depending on where you live. Although they are expensive and hard to come by, they are a worthy buy, as they can elevate a simple sandwich. If you have mad cravings, but can’t seem to lay your hands on some fresh truffles, you can make a grilled cheese sandwich with a little truffle oil.
This article has pro tips on how to make the best truffle grilled cheese. The step-by-step and video recipe will help you make the perfect truffle indulgence for lunch or a fun movie night.
According to the National Wildlife Federation Trusted Source Truffles | National Wildlife Federation Learn facts about truffles’ habitat, life history, and more. www.nwf.org truffles are neither plants nor animals. They are underground mushrooms in the fungi kingdom that grow alongside certain tree roots and are hard to come by. According to an article by EHL insights Trusted Source What are truffles and why are they so expensive? In this article EHL Insights answers the question: what are truffles? We shed light on how they’re cultivated and why truffles are so expensive. hospitalityinsights.ehl.edu , truffles are the most expensive foods you can buy because of their scarcity. They are seasonal and extremely difficult to grow.
There are over 140 truffle species out there, but very few have real market value. The most common species in the culinary world include; Tuber melanosporum, Tuber magnatum, Tuber aestivum, and Tuber unicnatum.
Each species is unique and has a different flavor profile. Truffles can have a nutty, earthy, chemical, spicy, maillard, fruity, or vegetal flavor profile.
People use dogs or pigs to hunt for truffles. The dogs are trained to seek out the truffles’ smell underground. Pigs are mostly used to hunt truffles in Europe. The only downside of using pigs is that they will want to eat the truffles and you may be forced to get into a fight with them. Dogs, on the other hand, have no interest in eating truffles and will respond to their training well as long as you give them a good treat.
When the trained dog catches the truffle’s aroma, it will let you know, so you can dig it out. If you smell the soil before digging you will notice an earthy truffle aroma. You have to be extra careful when digging as truffles can grow just a few centimeters under the soil or as deep as six inches. According to an article by UNESCO Trusted Source Truffle hunting and extraction in Italy, traditional knowledge and practice - intangible heritage - Culture Sector - UNESCO Website of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage ich.unesco.org , there is a special spade for extracting truffles without disturbing the soil conditions. You don’t want to damage the soil. Once you unearth your hard-earned treasure, wash them and remove all the soil before using them.
Truffles don’t last long after harvest. With proper storage, they can only remain fresh for up to 10 days. After you have thoroughly washed and removed all the soil from the truffles, leave them to dry then wrap them in a towel and store in an airtight glass jar in the fridge. You have to change the paper towel every day as the truffle will release moisture and it needs to stay as dry as possible. Ensure the glass jar is completely dry. You can wrap paper towels around it to create a dry environment for the truffles.
Moreover, the storage glass jar has to be airtight to prevent the truffles’ smell from permeating into other foods in your fridge. You will know the truffles are spoiled if they become mushy with a bad smell.
Although fresh truffles have a stronger and better flavor you can freeze them to last longer. Get a Ziploc bag and squeeze out all the air from it. Put dry truffles in it then seal the bag properly. You can use a vacuum sealer to get a tight seal. Frozen truffles are edible for only up to 5 months.
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Any cheese that pairs well with mushrooms can go well with truffle. Top of the list are cheddar, Swiss, Provolone, and Mozzarella. You can experiment with different cheeses.
Truffles go perfectly well with fats hence the popular pairing with fatty foods like cheese, cream, butter, oils, and foie gras.
The first aroma you should get when you open a bottle of real truffle oil is the truffle. If you are hit with the smell of olive oil or any other smell, it is fake. According to popular reviews, the TruffleHunter – English, Black & White Truffle Oil Set is the best quality truffle oil that money can buy. The brand shaves fresh truffles and expertly infuses them with top-grade oils.
Truffle grilled cheese is an easy, bougie way of enjoying a sandwich. Truffles, although rare and expensive, can enhance a basic sandwich significantly. We have provided tips and tricks for making the best truffle butter grilled cheese and grilled cheese with truffle oil. If you live in an area that has truffles you can go hunt for some and store them in the fridge or freezer for long-term use.
If you don’t have the budget for truffles, you use truffle oil to get the flavor. Be keen on getting original truffle oil as there are a lot of fakes in the market. Truffle oil should smell like truffles the moment you open the bottle. If you get a different smell, it’s probably fake.
Hope you enjoyed our truffle grilled cheese recipe.
