flipWhole truffle baked in champagne
Whole truffle baked in champagne
Why this dish? Colette wrote famous pages on the truffle in *Prisons et Paradis* (1932), demanding it be served whole and in quantity, never in stingy shavings. This dish showcases her most famous gourmet conviction.
A large black truffle wrapped in thin bacon slices, drizzled with champagne or straw wine, gently cooked in a papillote, and eaten as is, with a spoon, in its fragrant juices.
Let no one speak to me of those stingy shavings, placed out of charity on a dish to pretend at luxury: the truffle is eaten in good quantity or not at all. I want it whole, round and black like a little planet of earth, wrapped in bacon and moistened with a glass of champagne. You let it dream covered, without rushing it, and you first breathe in that scent of damp undergrowth before bringing the spoon to it. It is, I assure you, the only diamond that is eaten.
- •Fresh black truffle — one large per guest (absolute star)
- •Bacon slices — enough to wrap (protective fat and flavor)
- •Champagne or straw wine — a glass (aromatic moisture)
- •Salt — a pinch (seasoning)
Whole truffle baked in champagne
A large black truffle wrapped in thin bacon slices, drizzled with champagne or straw wine, gently cooked in a papillote, and eaten as is, with a spoon, in its fragrant juices.
Why this dish? Colette wrote famous pages on the truffle in *Prisons et Paradis* (1932), demanding it be served whole and in quantity, never in stingy shavings. This dish showcases her most famous gourmet conviction.
Let no one speak to me of those stingy shavings, placed out of charity on a dish to pretend at luxury: the truffle is eaten in good quantity or not at all. I want it whole, round and black like a little planet of earth, wrapped in bacon and moistened with a glass of champagne. You let it dream covered, without rushing it, and you first breathe in that scent of damp undergrowth before bringing the spoon to it. It is, I assure you, the only diamond that is eaten.
Ingredients (period version)
- Fresh black truffle — one large per guest (absolute star)
- Bacon slices — enough to wrap (protective fat and flavor)
- Champagne or straw wine — a glass (aromatic moisture)
- Salt — a pinch (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Fresh black truffle (Tuber melanosporum) — 1 nice piece 30-40 g per person (absolute star)
- Thin slices of fat bacon — 2-3 per truffle (protective fat and flavor)
- Brut champagne (or Jura straw wine) — 10 cl (aromatic moisture)
- Fleur de sel — 1 pinch (seasoning)
- Parchment paper / aluminum foil — for the papillote (steam cooking)
Method
- Gently brush the truffle under cold running water to remove dirt, then pat dry.
- Completely wrap it in bacon slices, place on a sheet of parchment paper.
- Drizzle with champagne, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, seal the papillote tightly.
- Bake at 180°C for 30 to 40 minutes, or bury the papillote in hot embers for the 'under the ashes' version.
- Open the papillote at the table to release the scent, remove the bacon, and enjoy the whole truffle with a spoon, drizzled with its juice.
How it was made : In Colette's time, truffles were abundant and much cheaper than today; they were often cooked whole 'under the ashes', buried in the hearth wrapped in bacon and paper. It was a winter seasonal dish, served generously in good houses in Périgord and Burgundy.
The contemporary twist : Present the closed papillote to each guest and open it at the table with a knife stroke: the cloud of perfume that escapes is worth any plating.
Sources : Colette, Prisons et Paradis (1932), text 'La truffe'
Colette · Charactorium
