On 25 and 26 June, Gourmet Traveller partnered with luxury skincare brand La Mer and acclaimed chef Neil Perry to bring to life The Miracle Meal. Designed as an ode to La Mer’s dedication to the sea, the Meal was inspired by the brand’s own Miracle Broth.
The event saw media, designers and friends of the brand join together in Double Bay at Gran Torino for an exclusive preview before the event launched to the public for a two-day affair.
The Miracle Meal event
As guests filed into the space on a crisp sunny Wednesday afternoon, they were greeted by Champagne on arrival with a selection of signature Gran Torino canapés before editor David Meagher was joined by La Mer’s Mariko Rex and Perry to open the event.
“When you’re putting something beautiful, considered and revitalising on your skin, it also relates to the way that we eat. And when we eat beautiful, fresh, non-processed food from the sea, earth and sky, that really is a health tonic for our skin and for our entire body.” – Neil Perry, Gran Torino head chef and owner
Together, Rex and Perry spoke about how good skin comes from within, with the ingredients you choose to eat just as important as the products you put on your face. Perry even acknowledged that “eating beautiful, fresh, non-processed food really is a health tonic for the skin and our entire body.”
Served on silver trays, The Miracle Meal consisted of a highly considered Miracle Broth that took influence from not only La Mer’s sea-inspired formula but also combined the worlds of Italian and Japanese cuisines, with a special impetus on their seasonal focus. Perry spoke on how the ‘Italian stew’ took on a new life and was given a “fantastic punch from the beautiful umami-filled dashi.”
A heartier prawn roll was paired with the broth with sesame and nori, “punching out the umami flavour and a flavour of the sea.” The Meal was completed with a Marine Silk Martini: Papa Salt gin, shaken with Australian dry vermouth and elevated with house-made kombu liquor. The Martini reflected the subtle minerality of La Mer’s oceanic ingredients, and was served ice-cold with an olive.
Once the event opened to the public, the Gran Torino dining room was filled with buzz about The Miracle Meal and La Mer’s Mini Miracles — the brand’s iconic day and night moisturisers. Over the course of the two-day activation, hundreds of diners experienced Perry’s inspired meal. Those unable to reserve a seat enjoyed a custom takeaway box filled with The Miracle Meal (sans the Martini) and La Mer treats.
Neil Perry’s Miracle Broth
Makes 4 portions
Ingredients:
Base
- 1 small brown onion
- 1 stick celery
- 1 small head fennel
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 pinch chilli flakes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 400g tin San Marzano tomatoes
- ½ glass dry white wine
- ½ glass white wine vinegar
Dashi
- 1lt water
- 1 piece kombu, 10cm x 10cm
- 1 handful dried bonito flakes
Garnish
- 8 pipis
- 8 mussels
- 1 glass dry white wine
- 50g squid, in one piece
- 4 medium green king prawns
- ¼ bunch each of parsley, oregano and basil
Method:
Base
- Cut onion, celery, fennel and carrot to 2mm dice.
- Finely chop garlic.
- Drain, rinse and drain tomatoes, discarding juice, then crush tomatoes with your hands.
- Sweat onion, celery, fennel and carrot in a little olive oil to soften with no colour.
- Add garlic and chilli and cook 5 minutes. Do not allow the garlic to colour.
- Add bay leaf and white wine, then cook 5 minutes to remove alcohol.
- Add tomatoes and white wine vinegar, then allow mixture to cook to reduce and thicken.
- Season with sea salt.
Dashi
- Place kombu and water in a pot and heat over medium heat.
- When almost boiling, remove kombu and add bonito flakes, remove from the heat.
- Allow to settle for 10 minutes, then strain through a fine sieve, discarding the used bonito flakes.
Garnish
- Open pipis in half the wine, remove the meat from the shells and strain liquor. Allow meat and liquor to cool.
- Open mussels in the other half of the wine, remove the meat from the shells and strain liquor. Allow meat and liquor to cool.
- Blanch squid in boiling salted water for 15 seconds, allow to cool.
- Blanch prawns in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, allow to cool, then peel and devein.
- Chop all seafood to 5mm dice
- Finely chop herbs and combine
To assemble:
- 1 lemon
- In a saucepan, mix 400g base, 400g dashi, 50ml pipi liquor and 50ml mussel liquor, then bring to the boil.
- Divide the garnish between 4 glasses and top with a good pinch of chopped herbs.
- Check seasoning on broth and finish with a squeeze of lemon just before serving.
- Divide broth between the 4 glasses and serve at once.
La Mer is a brand that represents hope, healing, and one man’s deep respect for the power of the living sea. It all began over fifty years ago when Dr. Max Huber, a physicist, embarked on a healing quest after a lab accident. Twelve years and 6,000 experiments later, Miracle Broth – the legendary elixir – was born. Since joining The Estée Lauder Companies in 1995, La Mer has become the most coveted skin care brand in the world.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
