Truffle and Potato Salad

Ingredients

350g pink-eye or other full-flavoured potato
50g fresh black truffles
250mL extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
3 vine-ripened tomatoes, skinned, seeded and quartered, centre ribs removed
Juice of 1 lemon
100g finely shaved Reggiano

Garlic toast:

2 cloves garlic
Sea salt
60mL extra virgin olive oil
4 slices sourdough bread

Method

Cook the potatoes with their skins on for 20 minutes in a pot of boiling salted water until they are soft. Allow to cool and peel. Slice into thick rounds.

To make the garlic toast, crush the garlic with some salt in a mortar and pestle. Add the olive oil, mix well and brush the garlic oil over the bread. Grill the bread until it is golden brown.

If you are using preserved truffles, slice. If you are using fresh truffles, peel carefully and slice them finely, reserving the peelings for mayonnaise.

In a heavy-based frying pan with a close-fitting lid, heat up the olive oil. Add the potatoes, and season with a generous amount of sea salt. Cook over very low heat for 3 minutes, then add the truffles and tomatoes. Put the lid on and leave over a low heat for a further 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep covered for another 5 minutes. Season with pepper and lemon juice.

To serve, spoon the potatoes, tomatoes and truffles into large bowls. Put the cheese shavings over the top, place a piece of bread on the side, and serve. Or, take the pot to the table and open the lid for the guests to savour the aroma. Serve the toast and cheese in separate bowls, and spoon the warm salad over.


Find more recipes and truffle ideas from Neil Perry in “Rockpool" www.newholland.com.au

Note from Neil: "Fresh truffles have always been the highlight of my meals...there is no denying that this is a truly beautiful dish, not only to eat, but to look at, but once I had the truffle, potato and Parmesan salad with garlic toast I was hooked. It’s terrific with preserved truffles, but mind-blowing with fresh."