Truffle Butter

Truffles can be intimidating to cook with.

For starters, they cost a small fortune. That fact, coupled with their ubiquity in gourmet dishes, could easily give the impression that they are too high-brow for use in every day cuisine.

But despite their haughty reputation, truffles are a versatile and wonderful ingredient. They provide an earthy, savory, smoky flavor that adds depth and richness to a wide variety of foods.

This is why I love, love, love truffle butter. It is a creamy butter generously infused with pieces of truffle. It makes truffles accessible and easy to work with. You can use truffle butter to make a simple, delicious and relatively inexpensive meal.

I usually purchase my truffle butter from The Fresh Market for less than $5.

For those who don't have The Fresh Market, I have also seen it at Costco. It can be ordered online too.

Here are a few of my favorite ways to cook with it.

--Place a dollop on top of ribeye or filet just before serving
--Generously toss Dreamfields Angel Hair pasta with it and pair with sauteed scallops
--Melt in a pan and scramble eggs and parmesan cheese
--Top off roasted veggies with some
--Use in place of regular butter as a topping for popcorn--goes great with a little parmesan as well

I tell you, the stuff is delicious.