Adelaide Hills truffle and whole sweetcorn risotto
Add a touch of luxe to your risotto, with sunny sweet corn and freshly shaved truffle.
Serves 6
2 onions, roughly chopped
2 sticks of celery, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
½ bunch of thyme
6 peppercorns
2 bay leaves
3L water
6 cobs of corn, with dirty or old outer leaves removed, the rest intact
½ gram saffron
450g arborio rice
50ml olive oil
2 shallots, finely diced
150ml white wine
150g parmesan, finely grated
150g butter, cubed
juice of 1 lemon
50g fresh truffle
In a stock pot, bring the onions, celery, carrots, half the amount of thyme, peppercorns, bay leaves and water up to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
Place the whole cobs of corn into the stock pot, drenched into the stock as much as possible, then place a lid on top allowing the corn to steam in the stock for 5 minutes.
Remove the lid and the corn from the pot, then carefully peel the outer leaves off, placing them back into the pot.
Remove the kernels from 2 of the corn cobs using a knife and set aside. Put the empty cob into the stock pot.
Blowtorch the outside of the other 4 cobs, remove the lightly blackened kernels, and set aside. Put the empty cob back in the stock pot. Allow the stock to cook for a further 5 minutes, then switch off and strain.
Take 1 cup of the hot stock and place into a measuring jug. Add the saffron and allow to steep for 5 minutes.
Place the saffron-infused stock, and the golden kernels from the 2 cobs of corn into a food processor. Blitz to form a bright yellow paste.
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To cook the risotto, in a heavy based pan on a medium heat add the olive oil, shallots and arborio rice. No need to preheat the pan, we want to make sure we coat the rice in oil, gently sealing the rice and cooking the shallots without creating too much colour.
Once the rice and shallots are sealed (a little colour may start to form) add the wine and stir, allowing the wine to reduce. We want to reduce it to the point the rice starts to stick to the pan. The same goes for when we add the stock.
Add the hot corn stock 1 ladle at a time, stirring to distribute, then allow to reduce. Push down any rice that sticks to the side of the pot keeping the surface fairly even to allow the stock to hydrate the rice evenly.
With the second ladle of stock, add the sweetcorn and saffron puree. Stir to combine, then continue adding the stock and cooking until the rice is cooked to your liking. I like my risotto to settle on the plate, rather than build in height, so make sure the risotto is still a little ‘wet’, and the rice al dente.
Remove from the heat, then add the torched corn kernels and half the truffle finely grated. Stir and allow to sit with the lid on for 2 minutes.
Add parmesan and butter, then stir vigorously to work the starches and emulsify, resulting in a creamy end result. Add lemon juice and season to taste.
Garnish with fresh thyme and the rest of the truffle shaved or finely grated.
This article first appeared in the September 2025 issue of SALIFE magazine.
