Precious Potato Bites ~ Truffle Oil, Sour Cream, Chive Blossoms

Precious Potato Bites ~ Truffle Oil, Sour Cream, Chive Blossoms

Precious Potato Bites ~ Truffle Oil, Sour Cream, Chive Blossoms

I may have made a nice green salad or a simple pasta for dinner, but I what I like to share on Taste With The Eyes is not “last night’s dinner” but dishes that titillate and inspire. With ingredients that I find interesting.

Well, here’s a side dish (or appetizer) that is both simple and interesting…

The classic combination of potato with sour cream and chives ~ with a twist. Charming petite smashed potatoes adorned with both high quality white truffle oil and chive blossoms from the garden, instead of the ubiquitous green chives.

Precious Potato Bites ~ The Recipe

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Inspired by Chef Dustin Trani: Truffle Scented Tortellini, Veal Reduction

Truffle Scented Tortellini, Veal Reduction
Truffle Scented Tortellini, Veal Reduction
Beech Mushrooms, Olive Oil Toasted Bread Crumbs, Crispy Sage Leaves

Chef Dustin J. Trani is the Executive Chef at J. Trani’s Ristorante in San Pedro as well as DOMA in Beverly Hills. Earlier this year, Chef Trani was well-deservedly named as one of the Top 5 Rising Chefs in the U.S. by Gayot Magazine. On June 6th J.Trani’s Ristorante hosted their first wine dinner.

It was an extraordinary meal. With nearly three decades of dining in San Pedro, I can confidently declare that this meal was the best served in our town. Ever. Chef Trani paired a five course menu with wines from Napa Valley’s Franciscan Estates. Every element of every dish had a purpose, each in perfect balance. He deftly orchestrated a symphony of wine and food. It was an absolute pleasure to experience the Chef”s passion and commitment to perfection first hand.

My version of the Chef’s pasta course is simplified, to say the least. Where the Chef studied pasta making in Italy, I bought packaged cheese tortellini from Trader Joe’s. Where undoubtedly, the Chef simmered his veal stock in an hours-long process, I purchased French Demi-Glace from Whole Foods Market. My recipe is an everyday version of that extraordinary plate served at the outstanding wine dinner.

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The Chanterelles

Heart Healthy Chanterelle Scramble with White Truffle Oil

Cantharellus formosus, the Pacific golden chanterelle, from Oregon
gorgeous golden-orange color
a distinctly fruity aroma
a mild peppery flavor
funnel shaped with ridges instead of gills

  • Sauté finely chopped onion in olive oil.
  • Add cleaned sliced chanterelles, sea salt & fresh ground pepper, and sauté until lightly cooked all the way through.
  • Add minced garlic, cook for about a minute more.
  • Add a splash of dry white wine.
  • After the wine has completely evaporated, add egg beaters or beaten fresh egg whites.
  • When the eggs are barely cooked through, transfer scramble to a plate.
  • Lightly drizzle with White Truffle Oil and a bit more sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

The Chanterelles

When we were fourteen years old, my girlfriends and I formed a little song & dance group. We called ourselves The Chanterelles. After school and all summer long we would just practice in Wendy’s basement, for no particular performance.

We were so into Motown.

Knew every word to every Supremes song, my baby love! Went crazy seeing The Temptations in concert at the (long gone) Mill Run Theater-in-the-Round in Niles, Illinois. I was in love with Melvin Franklin, the bass singer with the Temptations. His signature line “and the band played on…” delivered in his deep deep sexy voice sent my fourteen-year-old self into fits.

(that’s Melvin on the far left)

Our Favorite Double Album:  Diana Ross & The Supremes Greatest Hits

Our Favorite Song to Sing Along:  Ball of Confusion by The Temptations

Our Favorite Dance Routine to:  I Want You Back by The Jackson 5

(artist shots borrowed from wikipedia here and here)

It wasn’t until almost a decade later that I found out that we had named our group after a fungus.

Project Food Blog
Voting for the current challenge ends at 6 PM Pacific Time, Thursday October 21st.
If you are a fan of my latest entryAsian Pizzette, it’s not too late to vote here!

Grilled Swordfish, Lentils with Truffle Oil

Grilled Fresh Swordfish
Steamed Lentils, Tossed with Herbs and Truffle Oil
Grilled Tomato

Simple, Yet Sublime
  • Fresh swordfish, grilled over medium high heat, still perfectly moist, with olive oil, salt and pepper
  • Warm steamed lentils, seasoned and gently tossed with white truffle oil and freshly sniped basil, dill, and parsley
  • Grilled heirloom tomatoes
I am submitting this dish to The Well-Seasoned Cook’s monthly Legume Love Affair Event hosted this month by Lucy of Nourish Me blog. I also want to thank Marie, the Proud Italian Cook, for the idea to grill tomatoes which added another layer of flavor.
Tomorrow, the Sun will be directly over the equator, at 11:44:18 A.M. EDT, to be precise. Happy Autumn! We’ll be looking forward to Thanksgiving here, and to cooking all the wonderful fall dishes. Also wishing my blogger friends in the Southern Hemisphere a Happy Springtime as well!