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Truffle Salad
6 truffles, 3 artichokes, 4 eggs, mustard, 3 gills of oil and tarragon, clove of garlic, mayonnaise, tarragon, chervil, chives, parsley. Cut the truffles in small pieces, place them into a bowl with the artichoke bottoms, previously cooked and cut into eight pieces. Rub through a sieve the hard-boiled egg yolks, lay them in a bowl with the mustard, work well together, add gradually the oil and tarragon vinegar; rub the bottom of a salad bowl with a clove of garlic, set the truffles in, and the artichokes over; cover all with a mayonnaise, mixing in also some tarragon, chervil, chives, and parsley, all finely chopped.
A composed salad from the era when truffles were a garnish rather than a luxury, dressed twice over: a yolk-and-mustard emulsion built in a bowl, then a spoonful of finished mayonnaise on top. Read it as an assembly job, not a cooked dish.
- GillsA gill is 4 fl oz, half a cup in US measure (an imperial gill is 5 fl oz), so 3 gills is about 1 1/2 cups. The ingredient line is ambiguous as to whether that quantity is the oil alone or the oil and tarragon vinegar together. Work to a ratio of roughly three parts oil to one part vinegar and stop when the emulsion tastes balanced; you will likely not need the whole quantity for six truffles and three artichokes.
- Two dressings, one bowlThe sieved yolks, mustard, oil and vinegar make a cooked-yolk dressing; the "mayonnaise" that covers the salad is a second, separate emulsion. If you would rather not make both, use the yolk dressing to coat the vegetables and a thinned mayonnaise, about 3/4 cup, as the covering.
- TrufflesThe recipe does not say whether the truffles are fresh or preserved, only that they are cut small. Preserved truffles in brine or the jarred summer truffle are far milder than fresh black truffle; if that is what you have, increase quantity and add a teaspoon of the packing juice to the dressing. Truffle oil is a different flavour entirely and will overwhelm the tarragon.
- Artichoke bottomsThese are the trimmed hearts with leaves and choke removed, not the whole globe. Three large globes yield three bottoms; boil in acidulated water 15-20 minutes until a knife goes through cleanly, then cool before cutting. Frozen or jarred artichoke bottoms work and save considerable trimming.
- The eggsFour eggs are hard-boiled and only the yolks are used, pressed through a sieve while still warm so they break down smoothly. Reserve the whites for another use, or chop them fine and fold them in with the herbs.
- MustardThe recipe says only "mustard"; dry mustard powder or a smooth Dijon will both serve, about a teaspoon. It helps bind the emulsion as well as season it, so add it to the yolks before any oil goes in.
- GarlicRubbing the bowl with a cut clove is meant to leave a trace only. Halve the clove, wipe the inside of the bowl once, and discard it; chopped garlic in the bowl would flatten the truffle.
- Assembly and servingDress and layer no more than half an hour before serving, and keep it cool but not fridge-cold, which mutes truffle aroma. Serves four to six as a first course.