Food | Black magic

It’s the season for savoring Tasmanian black truffle again and I really love it when a chef is extremely generous. Antimo Merone, Executive Chef at 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana Macau, covers the confit “Taiyouran” Japanese egg with a thick layer of black truffle on top. The smell of the wonder is so seductive that my mouth starts watering before the dish even comes near my sight.
“Antimo, I only see slices of black truffle. I don’t see the egg anymore,” I smile.
“The best way to work with black truffle is to bring in ingredients that have fat in them,” he says.
One might not think that black truffle would work with a seafood dish, but on 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana Macau’s Tasmanian black truffle menu, there is a scampi carpaccio.
“The key to bringing out the flavor of black truffle in this dish is the Jerusalem artichoke purée that I put together with the scampi. This ties the seafood flavor into the earthy taste of the truffle,” he explains.
For lovers of simple, homemade Italian pasta, the tagliolini with black truffle emulsion, butter, “parmigiano” cheese, is really the highlight of the evening. In my opinion, simplicity is the key when working with truffle.
Last but not least, the truffle ice cream showcases the greatest level of creativity at the very end of the meal. Served with caramelized hazelnut, crumble, and vanilla Chantilly, the creamy dessert leaves the aroma of black truffle lingering inside the mouth, with a hint of sweetness and nutty aftertaste. Delicious indeed.