i Lead Recipes

Truffles is also the name used for a group of chocolate confectionaries traditionally made with a ganache centre. They are named as such because of their resemblance to the truffle fungus (mushroom) found underground. Ganache is a type of icing made from cream and chocolate. The centres of truffles differ from country to country but all are coated with chocolate or cocoa powder. Examples of centres are the following:

• Ganache
• Cream
• Melted chocolate
• Caramel
• Nuts
• Almonds
• Berries
• Sweet fruits
• Nougats
• Fudge Toffee
• Mint
• Marshmallow
• Liquor

The preparation of truffles are the responsibility of the Pastry chefs of a cooking establishment and it is served as dessert.

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Truffles are underground mushrooms that grow freely under Italy’s Tuscan soil. They are searched for with the same zeal and excitementas if one is searching for a lost diamond. White truffles (Tartufo Bianca) are found in Piedemont and Umbria in Italy. The harvesting season lasts from September till December when festivals are held at the different towns to celebrate the harvest. Trained pigs are used to find them. It is said that truffles are the royal family of all cuisine and white Italian truffles are the king. They are extremely aromatic and too delicate to be cooked. For this reason they are normally served fresh - though it can be preserved in cooking oil.

Black truffles are found in Italy and France from November to March. They are less aromatic than white truffles and normally used in different products that are canned. Examples of these are:

• Truffle paste that can be whisked into sauce for that garlicky flavour. Or as the finishing touch in mashed potatoes.
• Truffle butter that can be spread on toast or tossed into fresh pasta or mashed potatoes.
• Truffle juice are used in appetizers as well as main courses for extra flavour.
• Truffle sauce are a blend of truffles and Parmesan cheese which makes a perfect pasta sauce. It is also used in marinades and soup.
• Other products on the market is truffle honey, preserved truffles or infused cooking oils.

Truffles are true gems in the world of food and only a privileged few have the opportunity to work with it. One such group is the Graduates from Prue Leith Chef’s Academy in South Africa who is up to the task of cooking for anyone, anywhere in the world

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“Couverture” is a French term meaning coating or covering.  Couverture chocolate is the basis of all chocolate as grapes are the basis of all wines. It is used for the making of bonbons, truffles, chocolate bars and to cover products like marshmallows or pretzels. Couverture chocolate are made from the best quality beans and is very high in cocoa butter – which gives it it’s wonderful shiny appearance. It sets very solid and “snaps” when broken.

Working with quality couverture chocolate requires careful handling and exact conditions if one is to have fabulous results. Prue Leith Chef’s Academy is a chef’s school renowned for the world-class Graduates they produce. As part of their esteemed training, students work in a dedicated chocolate room. Here temperature is controlled with granite surfaces, to ensure optimal conditions are maintained. Students work with only the best quality couvertures, pastries ans spun sugars – which is why Prue Leith’s pastry kitchen curiculum is of Master Class level.

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Frog’s legs are one of those delicassies that envokes visions of French cousine. The succulent upper joint is traditionally prepared with butter, garlic and parsley sauce and served with salad or steamed rice. Normally it is fried or deep fried.

Chinese cuisine will not be complete without frog’s legs. It is normally stirfried or stewed and eaten off the bone.
It also forms part of American cuisine. In the Southern USA frogs are caught at night by means of flaslights and spears. The thighs are cooked by grilling or frying it in a egg/cracker crumb.

As professional caterers Prue Leith Catering company specialises in creating masterpieces out of specialised products like frog’s legs. Delicasies can be prepared to suit the type of cuisine preferred by the client.

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Caviar is eggs taken from female sturgeon fish. Ninety percent of the world’s caviar comes from countries like Iran which are in the Caspain sea. The packaging of caviar is very labour intensive due to the delicateness of the product. Harvesting the eggs is a sterile process in which the fish are well-washed, gutted and the roe extracted manually. The eggs are weighed and strained before it is preserved by salting. This is a very technical process as the type of salt that is used should be in accordance with the customers preference and different countries’ customs regulations. The containers are sealed by pulling a rubber band over it. During storage an oily liquid seeps out the container which is an indicator of the freshness of the product. 

Caviar is an exclusive and specialised food and renowned chef’s schools like Prue Leith Chef’s Academy train their Graduates in the art of preparing and presenting it as true masterpieces.

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