With notes of hazelnut, malt, chocolate and coffee, this versatile seed will allow your dishes to develop enticing depths of flavour. Not sure where to start? In this episode of Make it delicious. – Flavours of Australia, Darren Robertson and Nornie Bero combine wattleseed with umami-rich mushrooms to create a truly epic creamy risotto. It’s a comfort food classic with a surprising Aussie spin.

Related story: Nornie Bero’s guide to wattleseed (and why you should add it to your hot chocolate)

Epic wild mushroom & wattleseed risotto recipe

SERVES 4

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
• 60g unsalted butter
• 600g mixed mushrooms, thickly sliced (we used portobello, Swiss brown and button)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2¼ cups (250g) arborio rice
• 2 tsp whole roasted wattleseed
• ¾ cup (180ml) white wine
• 1L (4 cups) Massel vegetable stock, warmed
• Juice of 1 small lemon
• ½ cup finely chopped fresh herbs (we used parsley, chervil and oregano)
• 2 tbs finely grated parmesan
• Chervil sprigs, to serve

Wattleseed pangrattato

• 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 30g salted butter
• 2 cups (100g) sourdough breadcrumbs
• 1½ tsp ground toasted wattleseed
• 3 sprigs thyme, leaves picked
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Method

1. For the wattleseed pangrattato, heat oil and butter in a large frypan over medium-high heat. Once butter melts and is foaming, fry breadcrumbs for 2-3 minutes, tossing constantly, until golden and crisp. Season with salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper and toss to combine. Turn off heat and add wattleseed, thyme and lemon zest. Remove from pan, reserving mushroom juices, and set aside.
2. To make the risotto, heat a large, deep, heavy-based frypan over high heat. Heat half the oil and the butter (the oil will shimmer). Fry mushrooms, in batches, for 2-3 minutes each, seasoning with salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, until cooked, all moisture has evaporated and mushrooms are deep golden brown. Set aside. 
3. Reduce heat to medium, add remaining oil and cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until soft. Add rice and whole wattleseed and cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes to toast well and wattleseed becomes fragrant. Increase heat to medium-high, and add wine. When the wine has nearly evaporated, add a third of the stock. Cook, stirring occasionally, and keep adding stock in stages after mixture has absorbed previous addition. Cook for 18 minutes or until al dente.
4. Remove pan from heat and stir through lemon juice and reserved mushroom juices. Fold in most of the mushrooms, reserving a few for topping, add fresh herbs and sprinkle over parmesan. Check seasoning and drizzle with extra oil.
5. Serve risotto sprinkled with wattleseed pangrattato and topped with extra mushrooms and chervil sprigs.

NOTE: You can make the pangrattato in advance. Once cool, store in a jar at room temperature until needed. Will keep for up to 3 days.

Watch the rest of Make it delicious. Flavours of Australia here.