A rare treat: why truffles fit into simple dishes

While my heart immediately started racing faster at the thought of the photo session that can be seen on these pages, photographer Jürgen Fuchs would have preferred to be on a press date with David Hasselhoff. Good. He was once a hero in my youth. Today I prefer to replace the black knight with black tubers. Or even eggs. With Jürgen, the opposite is true. He doesn’t like them at all. And one notes: not only for reasons of prices, opinions differ about exotic underground treasures that cannot be cooked, but are used only as raw ingredients. You have to love them or hate them.

The annual truffle festival takes place in Graz these days. For all those who have not been able to make friends with tubers or would like to taste them, this is definitely a good opportunity. Mainly because truffles are used in cooking in many locations. As in Mohrenwirt.

Chef Lukas Lepsic scores here with regional specialties. These days also with Graz truffles. The motto here: less is more! “Pasta, risotto or on top of an egg plate: for the truffle to be on its own, it is important to let its role as the lead actor unfold fully during preparation!” For example with cream sauce and butter. So ingredients that contain a lot of fat as carriers of flavor. It is not recommended to process fish or meat with truffles. And Lepsic reveals another truffle secret: “While white truffles smell even better than they taste, black truffles are just the opposite.

Meanwhile, the so-called summer truffle is not recommended. Visually similar to goods from Périgord, they are widespread in the Mediterranean regions and available from about 70 euros per kilo. But it tastes like potting soil and may help in some restaurants selling pasta for 20 instead of 10 euros.

© Wolf

This is where the synthetic truffle aroma oil, which tagliatelle is poured all over, comes into play in relation to the tasteless slivers of summer truffles. So it is better to treat yourself to good truffles several times a year than to constantly buy artificial bills.

Not only are gourmets now familiar with typical truffle regions such as Italy, France and the approximately 30 square kilometer Myrina Valley in Istria. But a surprise for many: a total of 11 different varieties of truffles were discovered in the forests of Graz!

© Jürgen Fuchs

These include summer truffles, winter truffles, flower truffles, red-brown truffles, smelly truffles, hollow or woody truffles and spring truffles. And most importantly: the burgundy truffle and thus the real “gourmet truffle”. High quality and best flavour. For all those who want to take one tuber or another with them in the future, Chef Lepsic has an important tip: “Be sure to wrap the truffle in kitchen paper or a rag. Then store it in an airtight container so you can enjoy it after a week.”