Brae
Chef Dan Hunter
Place Birregurra, VIC, Australia
Dan Hunter does not need to look far from his kitchen for inspiration: the restaurant makes its home on a 30-acre farm that is managed using regenerative farming techniques and produces vegetables, fruits, free-range eggs, honey, and olive oil for Brae. The tasting menu is created daily based on what is at peak then, turning Brae into one of the top restaurants in Australia, ranked on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list as of 2017.
Dan Hunter’s professional cooking career began in Melbourne, Australia. His passion soon took him around the globe and into the kitchens of some of the world’s most acclaimed restaurants. A highlight includes being head chef under Andoni Luis Aduriz at Mugaritz in Spain. Upon returning to Australia, Hunter spent six years leading the kitchen of Dunkeld’s Royal Mail Hotel. His first solo venture, Brae, opened in 2013. Set in Victoria’s Otway hinterland amongst 30 acres of vegetable plots and orchards, Hunter leads a team of chefs and gardeners committed to a sustainable method of farming and cooking.
1. Wrap the parsnips in foil and bake them at 140 degrees for 3 hours.
2. Once cool cut through the skin on one side, remove the core and all the flesh ensuring that the skin remains intact as one piece. Carefully scrape any remains of the flesh from the skin, slice it lengthways so that there are two equal halves and leave the skins to dry a little.
3. Once semi dried fry the skins at 165 degrees almost blanching them a little at a time. Due to the sugar in the parsnip too much continuous time in the hot oil will burn the skin.
4. Once the golden ‘pastry’ colour is achieved and while the skin is still hot, shape it into the desired, concaved, shape and place to cool on absorbent paper. The finished crisp skin should be returned to its original shape appearing as though it has been hollowed out.
5. Leave in a dehydrator until needed in service.
1. In an electric beater whisk the cream to a soft peak and reserve in a cool place.
2. Soak the gelatine in cold water and once hydrated remove it, squeezing out the excess moisture. Put it to the side.
3. Combine sugar and water in a pot and place it on a medium heat. While the sugar is warming, place the egg yolks in the electric beater and begin to beat it on a medium speed. Heat the sugar to 120 degrees, turn off the heat and add the gelatine to the sugar.Once the gelatine has dissolved lower the speed slightly on the egg yolk and drizzle the sugar between the beater and the side of the bowl taking care not to hit the beater. Once all the sugar is incorporated place the beater on maximum speed and beat the eggs until they are shiny, have increased 6-8 times in volume and are almost white.
4. Fold in the apple and parsnip purees and freeze dried apple powder and a little of the cream. When combined well fold in the rest of the cream until the mixture is homogenous. Place the mixture into a piping bag and reserve refrigerated until needed.
1. Bring the water to the boil and pour it over the chamomile.
2. Cover immediately and leave to infuse for 6 minutes.
3. Once infused discard the chamomile and combine the infusion with the sugar and peeled apples.
4. Place the ingredients into a vac bag and seal on maximum pressure. Cook at 82 degrees for 1.5 hours.
5. Strain and discard the apples and chill immediately.
6. Store covered and refrigerated until required.
1. Caramelise the sugar in a wide based pan taking it to a deep dark golden.
2. Deglaze with the apple infusion and allow to reduce to a thick caramel.
3. Store covered at room temp.
1. In the centre of a flat plate pipe some of the mousse (around 10 cm) and drizzle the caramel over and around the mousse.
2. Place three pieces of freeze dried apple on and around the mousse and then lay a piece of parsnip over the top so that the other ingredients are hidden underneath.
3. Grate one half of a piece of freeze dried apple over the parsnip and serve.
His approach
At Brae and its adjacent farm, organic principles are employed to produce seasonal vegetables, stone fruits, citrus, nuts, berries, and olives for organic extra-virgin oil from an established grove of more than 100 trees. Resident chickens supply free-range eggs, while bees produce honey and assist with pollination.
Each day, a range of the highest quality ingredients is carefully sourced and selected from the property, local farms, and ethical, sustainable producers in Victoria and beyond. With the greatest respect, these ingredients are transformed into a daily set menu, served over a period of three to four hours, for both lunch and dinner.