Francesco Di Noia, Italian chef de cuisine at Alta Badia, Jumeirah Emirates Towers
What’s great about white truffle?
The truffle is a gastronomic pearl. It is a product of the autumn / winter harvest season and really represents a culinary delicacy for this season. I look forward to truffle season every year.
How readily available is this ingredient in this region?
The regional Italian food suppliers are quite active in bringing in fresh ingredients into the UAE from throughout Italy. As truffles are from the Alba Piedmont region, restaurants have to import them. So although, it may take some time to get them in and then are not readily available at a local market, we are still able to get them rather quickly.
Things to look out for when buying it?
Proper smell and a solid texture.
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Challenges associated with using this ingredient?
High cost – the cost for the truffles themselves and the import costs. As the cost is quite high, we consciously use the entire truffle in different cooking styles, so none of it is wasted. For examples, we start by shaving fresh truffle on particular dishes and then once a number of the shavings are off, we make truffle butter and oil.
Best way you’d recommend using this ingredient?
Freshly shaved on top of dishes. Adds a bit of luxury and richness to any dish.
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