Cooking with Truffles

“To date,” Ségueret writes, “most American diners have yet to discover what a truffle really tastes like.”

Though she hails from Madison County, Susi Gott Séguret is just as home in France, where she spent 20 years crafting a culinary education at world-famous institutions. The founder and director of the Seasonal School of Culinary Arts, which she stages in Asheville, Ithaca, Sonoma, and Paris, as well as other noted gustatory endeavors, her latest work is Cooking with Truffles: A Chef’s Guide (Hatherleigh Press, 2021). The book provides a grand and accessible intro to truffles—their history, science, and geography, along with myriad ways to incorporate them into dishes from the basic to the relatively complex. Here, she shares three recipes from the cookbook—an appetizer, main course, and dessert—as we enter peak truffle season.

The Scoop: Chef Susi Gott Seguret. Fell in love with truffles: in Provence, France; Academic achievements: diplomas in Gastronomy from the Cordon Bleu and the Université de Reims, Environmental Studies degree from Warren Wilson College, Certified Culinary Professional through the International Association of Culinary Professionals; Other new book: A Chef’s Book of Culinary Creations: An Inspired Collection for Those Who Love to Cook and Those Who Love to Eat

Truffled Aïoli

Aïoli is a variation on mayonnaise, traditionally elevated in intensity with the pungency of garlic. Here, a bit of truffle suffices. If you are privileged to have an Alba truffle in your arsenal, now would be a good time to pull it out. >>Get the recipe here

Truffle Roasted Chicken

Roasted chicken is one of the easiest ways to please a family while filling hungry stomachs. The most wonderful thing about it is the aroma, which fills the house while you get to do other things because your work is already done (except for the carving). >>Get the recipe here

Truffled French Chocolate Bistro Cake

Rare is the person who will turn down chocolate or truffles, so why not incorporate both into one killer cake? This particular recipe is my little black dress of chocolate cakes, and always pleases, with a minimum dose of effort. >>Get the recipe

Truffle Tips

• Brush your truffle clean with a dry brush instead of washing, if possible.
• Warm black truffles slightly to bring out the flavor.
• Serve white truffles raw.