Coomer Truffle Farm - Manjimup Black Truffles
Handy Hints and Favourite Recipes from David Coomer, Chef and Truffle Hunter
Tuber melanosporum vitt or the Perigord black truffle has been farmed in the Southern forests region for the past 20 years, the rich Karri loam and the climate in the region is highly conducive to the cultivation of this mysterious fungus, with an aroma described from anything to bitter chocolate and molasses to wet dog, sweaty socks and sex hence there is no mistaking the aroma of a black truffle.
Treat your truffles gently and with care, keep them in a tightly sealed ziplock bag wrapped in a piece of fresh chux cloth or paper towel and use as soon as possible after purchase to get the maximum flavour and aroma as after all truffle is a fresh product, if stored properly in the fridge your truffle will keep for about 10 days.
Our two English pointers Olive and Twiggy sniff around our 1400 tree orchard 4 days a week only selecting a truffle when they think it’s ready to go, the truffle is then cleaned and graded and delivered fresh for you to enjoy.
Keep your truffle recipes simple so the truffle will shine, don’t cook it too long or over too high heat, just folding the truffle through your dish at the last second before service is best. Be as generous as you can afford, allow 3 – 4 grams per person in a dish.
Here are some of my favourite ways to use our truffles -
- A fondue using fontina or gruyere cheese finished at the last moment with shaved truffle and served with grilled bread lightly rubbed with garlic, olive oil and salt, and some boiled kipfler potatoes to dunk.
- Shaved over the top of some thinly sliced raw beef along with some thinly sliced raw shallots, parmesan, rocket leaves and dressed with a little olive oil and a lemon wedge for a classic carpaccio.
- A single generous truffle slice topping a freshly seared Rottnest island scallop and dressed with some brown butter seasoned with a drop of sherry vinegar and salt.
- A simple Italian potato salad with some freshly cooked and still warm kipfler potatoes, crisp pancetta or smoked bacon, sliced spring onions, chopped tarragon, chervil and Italian parsley, shaved parmesan or pecorino cheese, shaved black truffle and dressed with a little mustard vinaigrette. This is a great side dish for some grilled or roasted chicken or some pan fried veal or pork chops, or you can lux it up a notch or two by omitting the cheese and adding some freshly cooked prawns, lobster or marron for a starter that will have you guests raving.
- Have the guys at favourite Deli slice you some jamon iberico or prosciutto, drape it loosely on a nice timber board, shave truffle slices over the top, and very lightly drizzle with your favourite olive oil.
- The ultimate toastie, thickly slice some quality Sourdough, butter one side of 2 slices with the 1st slice butter side down layer serrano jamon, shaved truffle and grated manchego cheese, top with the other slice of bread butter side up and toast in your sandwich toaster until golden brown on the outside and gooey in the middle.
- Make a nice smooth mash using royal blue potatoes finish with butter, cream, salt and pepper, shave some truffle on a microplane directly onto the mash and fold through, serve with a nice slab of dry aged rib eye or your favourite steak.
- Grab yourself a 2kg Free Range Chicken from the butcher, mix 10 grams of chopped truffle with 100 grams of soft unsalted butter, sea salt and pepper. Starting from the back end of the chook with your fingers just separate the skin from the breast and push in the butter and spread evenly over the breast meat, rub with olive oil, season with sea salt, and roast at 180 c until the thickest part of the breast registers 74c on a meat thermometer, about an hour and a bit. Make a gravy from the roasting juices add a little chopped truffle and serve with some Jerusalem artichokes, asparagus or your vegetables of choice.
- Make a simple omelette allowing 3 eggs per person, just before folding your omelette add 20 grams of gruyere cheese and some shaved truffle and then fold and serve, pour yourself a glass of champagne toast all things great in your world and enjoy your truffles.