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Chef Peter Gilmore’s Father’s Day recipes

How chef Peter Gilmore celebrates Father's Day with his sons.
Peter Gilmore and his sons making a toast with Lark's Classic Cask Single Malt Whisky.
Chef Peter Gilmore (middle) shares a darm of Lark Classic Cask Single Malt Whisky with his sons Joe (left) and Isaac (right).
Steven Woodburn

Peter Gilmore, executive chef at Quay and Bennelong, is off-duty at home; no chef’s whites, no kitchen brigade. His two sons Isaac and Joe have joined him around the island bench to prep for a long afternoon of feasting. “It’s lovely hanging out with the boys as adults, cooking and sharing a drink is wonderful as well,” says the Lark Distillery ambassador. “So, my ideal Father’s Day is spending the day with them.”

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The trio work on an anchovy and lemon butter spiked with Lark Tasmanian Peated Whisky as grass-fed eye fillet comes to temperature. A dark chocolate and blackberry tart cools on the bench for later. And, because it’s truffle season, and it’s going to be a big day, the sons are on mise en place for the cheese and truffle toast that will stand in as dinner, the Brillat Savarin cheese making the late-night snack a glorious prospect. “Appreciation of quality is something I’m proud to have instilled in my boys. They value things that are well made, handcrafted and cared for; the idea that something special in moderation is better than a lot of something ordinary,” says the chef.

This is a theme that runs through Gilmore’s professional life, home life in Sydney’s north and continues into down time on his farm in Tasmania. It also underpins his Lark ambassadorship, along with a shared love of Tasmanian flavours and a common rebellious streak. “New World whisky isn’t bound by tradition; there’s a freedom to break rules and boundaries, that’s what Australian food, wine and spirits are about.”

As the feasting begins, big, smoky flavours are shared between two generations of Gilmores in perfect balance. And another life lesson in high-impact simplicity is imparted to delicious effect.

Here are three of Peter Gilmore’s Father’s Day recipes.

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Anchovy, lemon and Lark Tasmanian peated whisky butter

Peter Gilmore x Lark Father's Day recipes
(Credit: Steven Woodburn)

Ingredients

  • 100 gm unsalted butter
  • 2 good quality anchovy fillets finely chopped
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp high-quality fish sauce
  • 2 tsp of Lark Tasmanian peated whisky
  • 2 tsp crushed sea salt flakes
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method

1 Chop the butter into small cubes and leave out of the fridge for 1 hour to soften.
2 Combine all the ingredients, including the butter, into a bowl. Mix well with a spoon until all the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. You can use the butter straight away, just place a generous spoonful on top of your sizzling hot steak.

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Note the butter can be stored in the fridge for up to five days.

Dark chocolate and blackberry tart

Peter Gilmore x Lark Father's Day recipes
(Credit: Steven Woodburn)

Ingredients

  • 175 gm plain flour
  • 125 gm butter
  • 50 gm sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 20 gm high quality dark cocoa powder
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 100 gm high quality dark chocolate (above 60% cocoa solids)
  • 100 ml pure cream
  • 25 ml milk
  • 1 whole egg
  • 200 gm blackberries

Method

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1 To make the pastry, combine the flour, cocoa powder and salt together and sieve well.
2 Next, cream the sugar and butter together, add the egg and combine well. Add the flour mix to the egg and butter mix until just combined.
3 Form the pastry into a ball and slightly flatten it with the heels of your hand. Wrap in cling film and allow the pastry to rest for 1 hour in a cool place (or fridge).
4 Lightly grease 4 individual tart tins. Roll out the pastry to roughly 2cm thick. Cut 4 large circles from the pastry and line the tins pressing the pastry carefully up the sides of the tins. Trim the excess pastry off the top.
5 Place the pastry shells on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 1 hour. Pre-set your oven to 170°C. Blind bake the pastry shells with baking paper and rice for roughly 10-12 minutes. Allow the pastry to cool completely then remove the baking paper and rice.
6 For the chocolate custard, to melt the chocolate in a double boiler, place on a medium heat and stir until completely melted.
7 In a saucepan combine the milk and cream together and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, separate a small egg into a bowl and combine the yolk and white with a fork. Set aside.
8 Now pour the hot cream and milk mixture into the melted chocolate while whisking the mixture. Mix well until all combined.
9 Allow the mixture to cool slightly, approximately 2 minutes, then with a whisk continually whisk the chocolate mixture and slowly pour in the mixed egg. Continue to whisk for 30 seconds. Pour the chocolate mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl. Pre-set your oven to 100°C.
10 Carefully fill your pastry shells with the chocolate mixture to just below the top edge and bake the tarts in the oven for 10-12 minutes. The chocolate mixture should be just starting to set with a small wiggle.
11 Remove from the oven and allow to cool at room temperature for at least 2 hours.
12 Carefully remove the tarts from their tins and place on serving plates.
13 Cut the blackberries in half lengthways then arrange the blackberries around the edge of each tart leaving some of the chocolate custard exposed in the middle. Serve immediately.

Note: This tart is best eaten at room temperature and pairs well with Lark Rebellion Chinotto whisky.

Late-night supper cheese and truffle toast

Peter Gilmore x Lark Father's Day recipes
(Credit: Steven Woodburn)

Ingredients

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  • 4 thick slices of your favourite sourdough bread
  • 100 gm Comté or Gruyère cheese
  • 100 gm hard sheep or goat’s cheese (eg. Ossau-Iraty or goat’s cheese gouda)
  • 100 gm Brillat-Savarin cheese (triple or double cream style white mould cheese)
  • 50 gm walnuts
  • 30 gm whole truffle
  • 30 gm your favourite honey

Method

1 Lightly toast the sourdough bread. Grate the Comté and hard sheep’s milk cheese on a coarse grater. Combine the two cheeses together. Preheat your grill then generously top each slice of sourdough with the combined grated cheeses. Place under the grill until the cheese is melted.
2 Remove from the grill then place a 25gm slice of Brillat-Savarin in the middle of each toast, this will gently melt from the residual heat of the grilled cheese. Top each slice with 7 or 8 walnut halves.
3 Finely shave the truffle and divide between the slices, then drizzle half a teaspoon of honey over each slice of cheesy toast.
4 Serve immediately with a knife and fork, and a nip of your favourite Lark whisky — Gilmore’s go-to is the Classic Cask.

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