Cooks' Books by Lisa Messinger

"Simply Truffles: Recipes and Stories that Capture the Essence of the Black Diamond" by Patricia Wells (William Morrow, $27.99).

For more than 25 years, Patricia Wells was the globetrotting restaurant critic of the International Herald Tribune, as well as, with her work at L'Express, the only foreigner and woman to serve as restaurant critic for a major French publication. Of the thousands of ingredients that were primped and prepped for her to pass judgment upon, one, she notes, trumps them: truffles.

The fungus that grows about a foot underground near the root of trees and is routed out by the sniffs of dogs and pigs is, of course, worthy of much more than pigs and is one of the most expensive and sought after foods in the world. All that, and Wells' many up-close-and-personal encounters with the delicacy, has led it — in the form of both recipes and stories — to become the star of "Simply Truffles," her 13th book.

There is probably little chance that this number 13 will be unlucky. Wells' books have all been winners. The woman who runs a popular namesake French cooking school in Paris and Provence has won the prestigious James Beard Award for "The Provence Cookbook," "Patricia Wells at Home in Provence" and "Simply French," as well as being nominated for "Vegetable Harvest" and "The Paris Cookbook." The French government has honored her as a Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, recognizing her contribution to French culture.

Therefore, she's just the guide you want when truffle hunting — or eating. Joel Robuchon has often been called the best chef in the world. Wells wrote a book about him and he writes her book's foreword. It was through him, Wells writes, that she learned that truffles are much more than a shaved fleck here or there as an expensive recipe accent.

"I watched in awe as (his) chefs treated each black diamond with the utmost respect, peeling the firm outer rind or skin (the peridium) and mincing it into a fine dice to use as a simple garnish," Wells writes. "The rest of the truffle (the flesh or pulp, the gleba) was thinly sliced on a mandoline, to use as a full-flavored garnish for his famous onion and bacon tartlets infused with the penetrating aroma and signature crunch of the truffle..."

This caused Wells to especially notice truffles and their preparations throughout her travels. The recipes she has collected and created are exceptional, such as potato soup with Parmesan cream and truffles from the Four Seasons Hotel in Florence, Italy, to her own truffle risotto, to a dramatic presentation of truffles wrapped in parchment and warmed in wood ciders, to the simple scrambled eggs with truffles that Wells names as "one of the 10 best ways to enjoy and appreciate truffles."

All of these include the bonus of Wells' breezy teaching style of some of the world's best cooking techniques. However, she also shows how not cooking also can bring out the charms of the black diamonds with extremely easy (and much less expensive) recipes such as truffle butter and truffle salt.

"It's magic and is now one item I am never without," writes Wells of truffle salt, the condiment she created a few years ago.

"Just the tiniest amount of minced truffle peelings paired with fleur de sel, or even with fine sea salt, can transform a dish — an effective way to extract the most out of the costly truffle. Even in the heat of summer, the salt is there in the freezer to perk up a salad, an egg dish — you name it. Don't embrace truffles without embracing truffle salt."

Take a stab:

TRUFFLE SALT

1 tablespoon minced fresh black truffle peelings

1 tablespoon fleur de sel or fine sea salt

Yields 2 tablespoons.

In a small jar that has a lid, combine the minced truffles and salt. Tighten the lid and shake to blend. Refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 1 year.

For each use, remove the desired amount and return the jar to the freezer or refrigerator.

SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH TRUFFLES

1 fresh black truffle (about 1 ounce), cleaned

6 large ultra-fresh eggs, preferably organic and free range, brought from the refrigerator to room temperature (see note)

2 tablespoons (1 ounce) truffle butter (instructions follow), cut into small pieces

1 / 2 teaspoon truffle salt, plus more to taste if needed (recipe is above)

2 slices brioche, toasted and spread with truffle butter, optional

Yields 2 servings.

With a vegetable peeler, peel the truffle. Mince the truffle peelings, place them in a jar and tighten the lid. With the mandoline or very sharp knife, cut the truffle into thick slices. Cut the slices into matchsticks. Place the matchsticks in a jar and tighten the lid.

Crack the eggs into a bowl, leaving the yolks whole. Add the truffle butter, the minced truffle peelings and about 1 / 2 teaspoon truffle salt. Do not whisk or blend the mixture.

Pour the mixture into a large unheated nonstick skillet. Place the skillet over medium heat and stir gently but constantly with a wooden spoon until the eggs form a creamy mass. Do not overcook. The entire process should take about 4 minutes. Stir in the truffle matchsticks. Taste for seasoning. With a large spoon, transfer the mixture to warmed plates. Serve with the toasted brioche. Excellent when served with good champagne.

To prepare truffle butter: Place 4 tablespoons softened salted butter on a large plate. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon minced fresh black truffle peelings and mash with a fork to blend. Transfer to a small jar with a lid and tighten lid. This yields 4 tablespoons. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Serve at room temperature or melted, as necessary.

Note: To infuse the eggs with truffle aroma and flavor, store a whole fresh truffle and the eggs (in their shells) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 2 days and up to 1 week.

Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the author of seven food books, including "Mrs. Cubbison's Best Stuffing Cookbook" and "The Sourdough Bread Bowl Cookbook." She also writes the Creators News Service "After-Work Gourmet" column. To find out more about Lisa Messinger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website www.creators.com.

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