The summer of truffle love: part 2

Last week we welcomed summer with three of my favorite quick and easy recipes. Now that the solstice has fully arrived, here are four more everyday luxuries you can enjoy with family and guests (or all by yourself, if you're feeling selfish). And the best part is, they all feature easy ways to incorporate my favorite ingredient of all.

Truffled Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
You may remember I said last week this is my wife’s favorite? Try it. It might be yours.

• 8 slices of bread, French brioche is best, or good white or whole wheat
• 1 tablespoon of French butter (the Plugra brand is very good)
• 4 slices of Swiss cheese
• 1 ounce jar of da Rosario black truffles
• da Rosario black truffle olive oil

Build two sandwiches while you warm the skillet. For each sandwich: on one slice of bread, place one slice of Swiss, then a layer of truffle shavings cut paper thin. Now drizzle black truffle olive oil on top, and repeat: another slice of Swiss, a layer of truffle shavings, a drizzle of truffle oil. Crown each sandwich with its top bread slice.

Melt a tablespoon of butter in the warm pan. Keep the flame low so the cheese doesn’t super-melt and the bread doesn’t burn. Turn carefully to grill both sides of bread. Remove from heat, cut each sandwich into four-to-six pieces and sprinkle with a touch more truffle oil. Serves four as appetizer.

Truffled Potato Salad
This dish will make you famous at your next potluck.

• 1 pound of tiny red potatoes, washed
• 2 tablespoons of minced chives
• da Rosario White Truffle Olive Oil
• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise (use the real stuff)
• Lemon slice
• Salt & fresh ground pepper
• 1 slice of a clove of garlic

Cut the baby reds into eighths and boil until fork-tender. Remove, drain and let rest in medium mixing bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of minced chives.

In a separate bowl, whip together four tablespoons of mayonnaise, one tablespoon of white truffle olive oil and a sprinkle of lemon juice. After you froth it up with a fork, add a tiny crush of garlic. Now pour the mayo mix over the potatoes and gently blend. Refrigerate. Serves four.

Steak and Mashed Truffle Potatoes
This side dish tastes even better than it sounds.

• Your favorite cut of steak (NY strip, T-bone, sirloin, any will do)
• Mashed potatoes, ready and waiting
• 1 ounce of da Rosario black truffles; plus 2 tablespoons of the same
• Sea salt

Grill your steak the way you like it (no salt yet, it will dry out the meat.) When done, let it rest. Now mince 1 ounce of black truffles as fine as you can. Stir the truffles fully into the mashed potatoes, and finish with 2 tablespoons of minced truffles sprinkled on top. Salt steak and serve four.

Roast Baby Bella Mushrooms with Porcini Olive Oil
This is my new favorite dish of the summer.

10 ounce package Cremini mushrooms (or dark button mushrooms)
da Rosario Porcini Olive Oil
Pinch of salt

Lightly grill the mushrooms. Then coat with 1 tablespoon of Porcini Olive Oil. You’ll swear you’re eating roasted porcini. Makes a great side dish or appetizer.

What's your favorite recipe? Post a comment below and let me know!