First, they should be stored in the refrigerator, not in the pantry.

Truffle oil:
Fried eggs.
Bean salads.
Tofu dishes.
Simple pasta dishes.

Walnut oil:
Fish dishes.
Soups
Salads.
Cakes

dcarch

Try making some salad drssings with your oils, Raspberry and Walnut is good maybe some orange in it.

I had some truffle oil sent to me by our lovely San, who I miss. It seems that I'm the only person in the world that doesn't care for truffles. (sigh) I did drizzle some on mashed potatoes, and on pasta but the whole flavor thing was pretty much wasted on me.

Walnut oil I've tried and I did like it, but the flavor seems to be best in things like salad dressings. I did make a pesto with walnuts in place of the pine nuts and walnut oil instead of olive oil and it was good.

Annie

I got turned on to truffle oil when I had gnocchi with truffle oil and pecorino in Florence, Italy. It was one of the dishes I replicated when I returned home. It's very good.

Just make potato gnocchi and dress it with good olive oil, a little truffle oil and grated pecorino cheese. Note that pecorino is a sheep's milk cheese and there are several types of pecorino. To my taste, Pecorino Romano is not nearly so good as the Pecorino Toscano I had in northern Italy. If I had to substitute, I would use Manchepo, the Spanish sheep's milk cheese which, to me, is similar to Pecorino Toscano.

Jim

Make that Manchego, not Manchepo.

Jim

Annie, you aren't the only one. A friend really wanted to impress me so she gave me a bottle of truffle oil. Oh, ick!

Ick indeed. From my pantry the truffle oil would have only one destination, the trash.
Walnut oil is great but very perishable. Smell it before using it, even if it is unopened. And once it is open, it must be refrigerated. It's wonderful in walnut bread. I forget if you bake bread, but if you do, try adding walnuts and use walnut oil in place of the oil or butter.

Yup, I'm another who's not a fan of truffle oil. I don't know if it's the musty smell or the taste that puts me off. I have my bottle of walnut oil in the fridge, but I keep forgetting to dress salads with it. When I do, DH likes it. However be careful not to serve it to anyone who has a nut allergy!

Hey, everybody! She wanted to know how to enjoy her truffle oil, not how to hate it. Geez! LOL!

Jim

Make a basic vinaigrette and accent with a little Truffle Oil and Cumin. Use it to dress roasted and chilled Beets. Serve on a bed of mixed greens. Brilliant!

Steve

Oh dear. The walnut oil has never been refrigerated. It was decanted into my bottle from a large "vat" at the store.

I bought the truffle oil to use in making truffled mac and cheese. I gave it a couple of tries and then saw Ina make it with truffle butter.

Thanks, Jim. I was beginning to think I had made a terrible purchase...and just missed the garbage truck!

I've never purchased truffle oil but have probably consumed it unaware. Walnut oil I always keep on hand. I love it whisked with seasoned rice vinegar for a quick simple salad dressing. I also combine it with balsamic and a bit of sugar for salads with heartier flavors. I tried it in a quick bread once with walnuts and didn't care for the result.

And, yes, keep them in the frig. They are delicate and go rancid quickly.

LOL, bbstx, taste is subjective, not objective. And I'm really, really picky. You may indeed love your truffle oil, and I certainly hope you do. I just can't help you much with ideas, other than the mashed potatoes. I'm happy, though, to know I'm not the only one who was underwhelmed!

Taste the walnut oil to see if it's still good. If it's rancid (oils in nuts go rancid quickly), then there's nothing to do except discard it.

I did make some bread with walnut oil and chopped walnuts, there was a recipe here. It was good, but I haven't made the effort to go out of town to buy walnut oil since then.

Annie

I've always wondered, does truffle oil have an earthy taste? I always imagined an earthy flavor.

Earth would taste much better.

I use the walnut oil in walnut bread (I have a recipe, if you're into baking breads); walnut oil is also good in carrot cake. I prefer to combine equal parts walnut oil and a neutral oil for the cake.

In regards to the truffle oil, I'm absolutely no help. I used my truffle oil once, and that was enough for me.

Sol

Those of you who don't like the truffle taste, you must be Chinese. LOL.

I find it kind of funny that for centuries, the Chinese fed truffles to pigs because they couldn't stand that "earthy" musty taste.

Recently, of course they are happy that they get good money exporting them.

dcarch

Nope, not Chinese. Native American and Irish, mostly.

I don't like morels either, although they are a delicacy here that people forage for and pay $30 a pound for fresh, although I do like some other mushrooms. I also like beets, which many people have described as "earthy", so I'm wondering about the difference between "earthy" and "earthy". Hmmmm...

Annie

Interesting "earthy" discussion. DH will not eat mushrooms or eggplant because he thinks they taste like dirt. However, he will eat beets all day long! He may put the quietus on the truffle oil!

It may help to know that truffle oil is to be used in small amounts, just a sprinkling as you would use sesame oil, for flavoring. That's why it comes in tiny bottles. The main cooking oil should be something less assertive.

Jim

No Annie you are not the only one in the world, lol, I cannot have truffle oil either. I find the smell really stands out too much in any dish, and for some reason I have a hard time digesting it, the taste stays with me a very long time, but not in a pleasant way.

I think these opinions can help the OP as far as not using it for guests or ruining a favorite dish that could be overwhelmed by it.

Last saturday at a restaurant one of our guests had it in her pasta dish and I could smell it ; I'd think it would be listed on the menu as part of the dish ingredients, since it's so distinct. We go there often so I'll have to ask next time I order, no truffle oil.

Here is an article from The New York Times, which might explain why so many here dislike truffle oil. (hint: you probably won't find "truffle" listed as an ingredient on your bottle)

Here is a link that might be useful: truffle oil hocus pocus

Thanks, Jo, I'm glad to know that I don't like something that isn't particularly good for me, for a change. Usually if it's bad for me, I love it!

However, I did have "real" truffle a couple of years ago at Restaurant Villegas in Okemos, run by one of my favorite Michigan chefs, Eric Villegas. It has since closed so he can concentrate on his television show. Anyway, I had "frites" with a black and white truffle aioli. The fries were good.

Annie

Thanks y'all for the advice and opinions. I made oven-roasted potatoes last night and finished them with a light sprinkling of truffle oil. DH didn't comment, but I used only the tiniest amount.

However, based on the numerous negative comments, I will not use truffle oil when I have company!

I had some fantastic potatoes sauteed in walnut oil and garlic the last time I was in Paris. Easy to replicate - Here is the recipe from Patricia Wells' Bistro Cooking:

Ingredients
1/4 cup walnut oil (60 ml) or 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 lbs firm smooth-skinned small potatoes ( 1 kg) 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg salt & freshly ground black pepper 4 garlic cloves, finely minced 1 bunch parsley, minced 1 bunch chives, minced Directions
Peel (or, if the skin is thin, leave the peel on) and thinly slice potatoes. Wrap in a thick towel to absorb any liquid.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the potatoes and saut�, shaking the pan from time to time until the potatoes are thoroughly cooked and browned on both sides, about 20 minutes. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste as the potatoes are being tossed.
To serve, sprinkle on the garlic, parsley, and chives, and toss to blend.

Trust me - these potatoes are GOOD!

I make a truffle oil blend with butter & cream and pour it over a grilled rib eye with crisy onion... not healthy but ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh sooooooooooooooooo gooooooooood!!!!