Deluxe Cuisine

In Puymirol, a charming fortified village on top of a hill close to Agen Michel Trama with the help of his friend, famed decorator Jacques Garcia has restored an ensemble of medieval houses and cloister, which once belonged to the Counts of Toulouse. The baroque décor complements the style of the chef. Rich curtains cover the walls and sconces in the shape of arms echo the oversized clawed feet of the tables. The cuisine has the same opulence. Duck liver comes in several guises, cold as a lollypop for an appetizer, or hot as the heart of a mushroom hamburger for an entrée. Vegetables and fruit are also given the full treatment. Cauliflower becomes creamy and rich as a risotto. And Tarte Tatin, the French upside down apple pie takes on a totally new turn as a miniature tree. Tiny compote apples of different colors dangle from the branches, while leaves made of pastry alternate with real one. The epitome of transmutation is Trama’s signature dish; a potato robed in Swiss chard leaves and soaked in a truffle sauce.
Luxury has a price and the massive adjunction of truffle makes the dish very expensive. It is however pure bliss for truffle amateurs and builds on the classic combination of the two tubers in a purée.

Steamed potato with truffle in a truffle sauce
(Easy, Preparation and cooking time:1 hour, Expensive)

Ingredients:
4 medium Idaho potatoes
½ cup (120 ml) truffle juice
1/3 cup (80 g) black Périgord truffle
1cup (250 ml) chicken or vegetable stock
1 stick (130 g) butter
8 Swiss chard leaves

Material:
1 4-quart saucepan
1 colander
Set of tongues
Paper towel
Peeler
Film wrap
Whip or egg beater
Steamer

Put the potatoes in the 4-quart saucepan. Cover with water and add 1 teaspoon of salt per liter of water. Turn the gas on medium, bring to a boil and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender but firm. Strain and refresh in cold water. Bring to room temperature and peel. Reserve.
Wash the Swiss chard. Discard the stalks or keep them for a gratin. Plunge the leaves in boiling salted water for one minute. Refresh in cold water to stop the cooking process and dry between two pieces of paper towel. Reserve.
Peel 32 slices of truffle. Cut every potato in 8 slices. Season each slice with salt and pepper and reconstitute the potato, alternating 8 potato and 7 truffle slices. Repeat the operation with the remaining three potatoes.
Place a piece of film big enough to wrap around the potato on the counter. Layer over it 2 Swiss chard leaves. Center the potato in the middle and wrap the film tightly around the leaves containing the potato. Repeat with the other 3 potatoes.
Place the pan over the low setting of the gas. Pour the chicken stock and truffle juice in the pan and reduce for twenty minutes until you have about ½ cup (150 ml) left. Reserve in a container.
Steam the potatoes in their film in a steamer for 12 minutes.
In the meantime prepare the sauce. Set the pan over the low setting of the gas, melt 2 tablespoons butter and add the remainder of the truffle cut in pieces. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the gas. Add the reserved truffle and stock. Add the rest of the butter at room temperature while whipping constantly with the eggbeater. Season to taste.
To assemble the dish, place each potato in a warm soup plate. Lightly cut the potato longitudinally and pour the truffle sauce. Add one slice of truffle on top.