White truffle season comes but once a year (mid-September through January) – and that time of year just happens to perfectly cross paths with some of the most fun and festive days on our annual culinary calendar: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve.
As the weather gets colder and we all retreat inside for warm dinners and winter flavors, the earthy scent and taste profile of the White Alba Truffle (the most precious variety of truffle from both an economic and culinary perspective) is a perfect seasonal fit which can be leveraged to create some of the most decadent and memorable dishes of a lifetime – such as this Seared Sea Scallops with Potatoes and Fresh Alba White Truffle + Champagne Parmesan Truffle Cream offering OR the Maine Lobster Roll with Fresh White Alba Truffle that I originated back in 2016.
Keeping it real, world-class White Alba Truffle dishes come with top-shelf costs. As Lesley Stahl of 60 Minutes reports, “Truffles are a fancy, delicious delicacy – some say an aphrodisiac – and, ounce for ounce, the most expensive food in the world.”
“Tuber Magnatum Pico, also known as the white Alba truffle,” states Céline Labaune of Gourmet Attitude Fine Truffles, “is native to northern Italy and has never been successfully cultivated in truffle fields. It only grows in the wild. The rarity and exceptional flavor of this truffle explains its high value. Its alliaceous perfume is particularly powerful and bewitching.”
“In order to find a truffle,” explains an official from the Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco d’Alba, “the truffle hunter, or trifolao, must rely on the invaluable assistance of a dog, with a very refined sense of smell, trained to detect the aroma of this kind of mushroom, combined with the intuition gained from years of experience.”
“After being spotted by the dog,” the official continues, “the truffle is extracted from the ground by the truffle hunter. This is an operation in which the truffle hunter uses a special hoe and requires to be carried out with the utmost delicacy. It only ends when the topsoil removed is recompacted to allow the extraction of the Tuber Magnatum Pico.”
To sum it all up: Anytime you’re seeking to cook with an ingredient where you need a meticulously trained dog to help locate the few naturally occurring specimens which only grow spontaneously in symbiosis with very small number of tree species in a very limited and specific area of the world; well, uh, you better have your wallet ready.
Still, the pursuit of unforgettable holiday memories represents the perfect excuse for an experiential splurge, like purchasing, cooking with, and enjoying White Alba Truffles.
Purchasing White Alba Truffles: If you’re unsure of where to purchase the White Alba Truffles to cook this dish, we have always had very good luck with Urbani Truffles. They always arrive quickly in ice-cold packaging and in excellent quality. Once you’re on their mailing list, they also send out intermittent special deals.
For portioning White Alba Truffles: Consider an average serving of truffle at approximately 5 to 7 grams of shavings. So, one ounce of White Alba Truffle will get you approximately 4 to 5 servings.
NOTE: If you’re going to purchase fresh truffles, you will definitely need a truffle shaver (and in most American neighborhoods, this is not an easy kitchen tool to find – you’ll probably need to purchase one online). You’ll probably also want a cut-resistant glove; since nothing ruins the anticipation and appreciation of a luxurious truffle-adorned dinner than an emergency trip to the hospital for stitches 🙂
Recommended Truffle Tools:
Have a look at our Seared Sea Scallops with Fresh Alba White Truffle + Champagne Parmesan Truffle Cream
Ingredients
.5 OZ Fresh White Alba Truffle
.5 LB Dry Sea Scallops
3 (Medium-Sized) Yellow Potatoes
2 Tbs Unsalted Butter
1 Tbs Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Minced Shallots
1 Cup Champagne or Sparking Wine
2/3 Cup Heavy Cream
2 Tbs Grated Parmesan Cheese (plus extra for garnish)
1/2 Tsp White Truffle Oil
Kosher Salt and Pepper (to taste)
Fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley
Instructions
RECIPE: Seared Sea Scallops with Potatoes and Fresh White Alba Truffle + Champagne Parmesan Truffle Cream
In this recipe, the relatively neutral canvas of seared sea scallops along with a light champagne parmesan cream sauce serve as the perfect backdrop with which to showcase the singular, pungent, musky and intoxicating glory of shaved fresh White Alba Truffle.
To make the Champagne Parmesan Truffle Cream Sauce
In a small sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat then add the shallots and cook until soft. Add Champagne (or Sparkling Wine) and cook until liquid is reduced by half, then whisk in the heavy cream. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly. Whisk in the grated Parmesan cheese. Turn off the heat, season with salt and pepper, and whisk in the white truffle oil.
To make the Potatoes
Peel the potatoes and slice into 1/2-inch discs. Transfer the potato slices to a saucepan and cover with an inch of cold water. Add ½ teaspoon salt. Bring the water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer until potatoes are fork-tender, about 10-15 minutes
To make the Seared Scallops
Remove the small side muscle from the scallops, rinse with cold water and thoroughly pat dry. Season the dry scallops with Kosher salt and pepper. Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Add olive oil and butter to coat the bottom of the skillet. When the oil is very hot and just about to smoke, place the scallops in the pan, making certain not to crowd them. Cook the scallops over high heat for exactly two minutes to form a pronounced caramelized sear. Flip the scallops over with a pair of tongs, and cook for one additional minute. Immediately remove scallops from the hot skillet and commence plating.
To Plate
Spoon some of the Champagne Parmesan Truffle Cream Sauce onto a warm plate. Arrange cooked potato slices on top of the sauce. Place individual scallops atop individual potato slices. Drizzle additional sauce over the scallops. Garnish with a few parsley leaves and a pinch of Parmesan scattered over the scallops. Finally, shave White Alba Truffle over the entire dish. Serve immediately
Recipe by Eric J Taubert
Recommended Truffle Gifts – Learn More About White and Black Truffles:
