Truffle omelette

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a splendid celebration and that 2012 is full of bright and happy things to come.

Everything in my fridge still smells like truffles. But they were unbelievably cheap – compared to retail prices – directly from the ‘farmers’ themselves and we have been overdosing a bit. It’s all a bit heady.

Here is a simple, 1st January recipe – the focus in 2012, as ever, will be simple dishes with quality, seasonal ingredients.

Note: As you will see below, I infused the milk with the truffles. I have also read about storing the eggs you plan to use to prepare an omelette or another egg dish in the jar with the truffles – they are so fragrant that they infuse the egg through the shell!

You’ll need:

• 1/3 T butter
• 6 eggs
• 1/3 cup milk
• 3 T black truffles, chopped
• 3 T mild grated cheese (I used Emmental)
• Salt
• Pepper

1. Mix the milk with the truffles and leave to infuse for an hour or less, depending on your time. Drain and reserve both the milk and the truffles.

2. Heat up the butter in a pan on medium heat. A cast-iron or a large, heavy-bottomed non-stick pan is perfect for this.

3. In the meantime, whisk together the eggs and the reserved milk. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

4. When the butter is nice and foamy, swish it around in the pan, then pour in the egg mixture.

5. Leave to cook – only poking at any bubbles that form – until the sides are well set all around. Your omelet should be about 3/4 done.

6. Add the truffles on half of the omelet and fold the other side on top. Sprinkle with cheese. Let omelet brown very lightly – the truffles themselves should not cook – take off heat, and serve immediately.

A very French dinner.