21 April 2010

Recipe for Tagliatelli With Mushroom and Truffle Sauce

Recipe for Tagliatelli With Mushroom and Truffle Sauce

Simple is best sometimes.  Last night, I was struggling as to what to feed the kids now they have gone back to school and time at night has been squeezed ever tighter.  So hunting through the bare cupboards, I found some unfinished mushrooms and the usual flour, butter and milk. 

This is what I came up with - Tagliatelle With A Mushroom and Truffle Sauce, with Smokey Steamed Tenderstem Broccoli and French Beans - sounds exotic but it was so simple.

How to make the Mushroom and Truffle Sauce:

50g / 2oz butter

50g / 2oz plain flour

500ml / 1pt milk

A pinch of cayenne

A pinch of ground lemon pepper

½ teaspoon Steenbergs truffle salt

Handful of chopped chestnut mushrooms

Melt the butter gently without it getting browned.  Add the flour and mix thoroughly.  Carefully and slowly add the milk, thoroughly mixing it in to smooth out the lumps.  Be patient and pour in small amounts at the start and then build it up.  When it's nice and smooth, add the cayenne pepper and the organic lemon pepper and truffle salt. 

Now fry up the mushrooms in a hot knob of melted butter.  Turning regularly until nicely browned all over.  Add these to the truffle white sauce and stir thoroughly.  Put to one side.

Make the tagiatelle and steamed vegetables:

Cook the tagliatelle until just cooked, i.e. with a slight al dente bite and drain off.  Warm up the truffle and mushroom sauce and mix in with the tagliatelle.  Chop some fresh parsley and sprinkle over the top.  Serve onto warmed plates.

Steam some fresh tender stem broccoli and french beans until just cooked.  Drain and then add a bit of butter or olive oil, a few drops of lemon juice and a decent pinch of Steenbergs Smoked Sea Salt and stir around.  Serve immediately.

Not very difficult.  Not too sophisticated, but great with a glass of cold Chablis (for me not the children).