By Julian Canlas - 
Here, Michelin-starred chef and TWISPER ambassador Philippe Chevrier shares his best tips on black truffles, and how to cook the luxury ingredient with scrambled eggs. From the Christmas with Le Cordon Bleu magazine edition.
“Black truffles are a gift from heaven!” Philippe Chevrier exclaims. One of Switzerland’s most celebrated chefs, Philippe uses black truffles for many of his recipes at Domaine de Châteauvieux, an iconic restaurant in Geneva that’s scored 19/20 in Gault & Millau and has been awarded two Michelin stars.
Philippe has always loved black truffles ever since he was a child for their strong flavour and perfume. As a TWISPER ambassador, Philippe shares his best tips on preparing truffles.
1. Truffles are versatile
Black truffles go well with lobster, crayfish, and several types of white fish, like bass. White meat will do, too, including veal, chicken and pig.
Truffles can work well on dessert, as well! Try it with ice cream or crème brûlée, for example.
2. Match truffles with red wine
Truffles can go well with red wine of the same excellent quality. In terms of red Bordeaux, a nice bottle of Pomerol does the trick.
3. Cook them fresh
You need to cook truffles when they’re fresh and in season, because they lose their quality when you freeze them. Truffles are known for their odour, their powerful taste and their crunch. You won’t get these frozen.
3. You can’t go wrong with Périgord truffles
There are so many varieties of truffle. But the best one is the Tiber melanosporum, the finest black truffles from Périgord, which is in the southwestern region of France known as Dordogne.
4. Don’t mix truffles with strong flavours
When cooking truffles, you should not pair them up with other ingredients with strong flavours, like spices or pepper.
Truffles are revered for their unique taste scent and savour, and the goal of every meal is to make them stand out.
Scrambled eggs with black truffles
For 4 people:
- 8 eggs from the farm
- 2 tbsp fresh cream
- 250g of Black, Périgord truffles
- A loaf of Farmhouse bread
- Soft butter
- Fleur de sel
- Olive oil
The day before the meal, keep the eggs and truffles in an air-tight container. This will allow the eggs to absorb the perfume of the truffles.
Brush and clean the truffles. Shave them using a Mandoline slicer. Save some shavings for the slices of toast.
Beat the eggs, and then mix them with the truffle shavings, the fresh cream and salt. Let the mixture sit for an hour.
Cook the mixture in a bain-marie and take it out, as soon as the eggs turn soft.
Serve immediately and enjoy the meal with buttered toast, a pinch of fleur de sel, some truffle chips, and a dash of olive oil! Exquisite.
