It's not just black and white: a saying that also makes a lot of sense in the kitchen. We are talking about black truffles and white truffles, obviously. Nothing against white, on the contrary: in the best season, from October to January, this truffle gives emotions and makes its faithful delirious with the grating that descends from above to enhance the raw meat, the fried eggs , tagliolini and so on.
But black is rediscovering its role (not a secondary one) in "cooked" cuisine, given that it is found well in pastas as well as in risottos , in meat and fish recipes. The black truffle also has other advantages compared to its white cousin: it is available all year round, albeit in different qualities, and has a lower price, considering that a hectogram of the prized one costs around 1200 euros - in sizes between 20 and 50 grams - and to go up to 1600 euros for a heavier truffle , while the white one, just a few months ago, already started at 1800 euros for sizes under 20 grams.
We talked about prized black truffles because the Tuber melanosporum is the best known and most appreciated. It is harvested mainly in the winter period and is found above all in Italy (the most famous is that of Norcia), Spain and France (with that of Périgord, in the south-west of the country, in pole position). Intense and characteristic aroma, with notes of musk, hay and cocoa; strong, earthy and slightly bitter flavour; surprising versatility provided you know how to use it well: this is why we turned to Antonio Guida , the chef of the two-starred Seta at the Mandarin Oriental in Milan, who in addition to being a master has an undoubted passion for the theme. So much so that we have created a menu entirely dedicated to Fine Black with true masterpieces of taste and elegance.
“I have always loved black truffles because they allow me to cook. It has remarkable versatility: it can be used in fillings or simply decorate, give intensity to a dish or just the aroma. In the first months of the year it reaches the top as a product, especially in the perigorda variety, preferable in the round and quite large version. The menu was born from the desire to tell its value through a series of interesting recipes that have won over enthusiasts and surprised novices. And then it was fun to create new recipes with young people in the kitchen who had never tried it before" explains Guida.
Guida has declined one of the recipes on his menu for La Cucina Italiana: San Pietro with dark onion, cacciucco and black truffle. A dish with character, where it is the base, in this case, a small fish cacciucco, that makes the difference and for this reason we must pay attention when preparing it. The ideal is to make it with the "nero" just purchased, but for up to ten days, if wrapped well in paper, the product will not be ruined. Obviously it should not be washed before use" underlines Guida. The ideal wine? "A Burgundy red" is the answer, predictable knowing the chef from Salento
The recipe for San Pietro with dark onion, cacciucco and black truffle by Antonio Guida
Ingredients:
300 g of San Pietro
200 g white onion
30 g extra virgin olive oil
10 g sage
20 g spring onions
broth to taste
shovels to taste
pepper as needed
black truffle to taste
For the caciucco
200 g fish for soup
30 g fennel
10 g white onion
1 dl white wine
50 g tomato
5 g tomato paste
1 clove of garlic
Method
For the onion cream
Stew the onion in a little oil, without coloring it. Wet with a little water, season with salt, pepper and sage. Simmer for about 50 minutes with the lid on. Once cooked, blend.
For the onions
Clean the onions, color them in a pan with a little oil, cover with the broth and cook them for at least 1 hour on a low heat.
For the caciucco
Stew the vegetables and add the previously cleaned fish for soup. Let it color slightly and add the white wine, add the fresh tomatoes and the concentrate, cover everything with water and cook for about two hours. Once cooked, blend everything and pass through a sieve.
For St. Peter's
Cook the fish on the barbecue seasoned with salt and oil.
Plating
In the center of the plate, place the onion cream, the melted onions, the barbecued fish and decorate with the black truffle cut into batonnets, finally pour the caciucco sauce.
This story originally appeared on La Cucina Italiana.
