TL;DR
- Shaving truffles on dishes is great for adding visual appeal and promoting balanced flavor in each bite.
- Grating truffles on dishes can expose more of the truffle to the air and release more of the aromas from the truffle into a dish.
- We promote using both techniques to get the maximum yield from each fresh truffle.
Shaved truffles on top of a dish can be very impressive. The visual appeal of truffles can immediately trigger a mouthwatering reaction in your dinner guests. The intricate marbling of the truffles can be at times almost hypnotic with its complex array of interwoven patterns. Coupling that with the visual appeal of a well-plated dish is enough to set anyone’s senses afire.
Another benefit of shaving truffles over a dish is it helps to create balanced flavor in every bite, especially when combined with bite-sized foods, like ravioli or bites of vegetables, fish, or meat. In this case, a single truffle shaving can be placed on top of each individual bite on the plate to curate the exact flavor the chef wants the guest to enjoy.
One additional perk of shaving fresh truffles over a warm dish is the larger surface area of the truffle slices absorb some of the heat and steam of the dish underneath and aromatize the vapor with their scents and aromas. This creates even more drama to the dish as the smell and aromas of truffles can gently waft through the air and capture the attention of your guests senses.
While shaving delicate thin slices of truffles can be alluring, grating truffles over a dish can be equally as beneficial. By grating truffles into a dish, you increase the surface area of the truffle that is exposed to the air, thereby essentially increasing the impact of the flavors and aromas the truffles impart on the dish.
This method is particularly helpful when the goal is for the truffles to impart their flavor and aroma to the dish without being the main focal point. Many chefs use this technique to great success when using similarly luxurious ingredients like prized Wagyu beef or prime cuts of fresh seafood and game. The smaller, grated truffle pieces can be elegantly folded into intricate sauces or dressings to complement the main ingredient.
One of our favorite hacks is to start by grating a truffle using a fine grater or zester, then switching to a truffle slicer to shave perfectly formed truffle slices onto the dish. Because fresh truffles are typically round or have some bulbous shapes, grating lets you use the tougher-to-shave outer portions of the truffle to maximize flavor and aroma in the dish, then shave perfectly shaped slices to create maximum visual appeal onto a dish.
This best of both worlds approach is one we recommend to get the most yield out of your fresh truffles without sacrificing on quality or presentation.
