Kylie Millar's Sardines, Marrow & Fennel with Ngeringa Mt Barker Pinot Noir

There is hardly a talent that Kylie hasn’t worked with. Her mentors include Darren Purchese of Melbourne’s Burch & Purchese, Mark Best & Matt Germanchis of Pei Modern, Sydney, Andoni Aduriz at the world-famous Mugaritz in San Sebastian, Spain, & Ben Shewry at Attica in Melbourne. She is currently at Blue Hill Stone Barns under renowned chef Dan Barber.

In 2018 Kylie took out the Josephine Pignolet Young Chef of the Year award and was a finalist for Time Out Food Awards ‘Hot Talent’ in 2016.

Right now Kylie has taken a slightly different tact in light of the travel restrictions. She’s working at Shane’s quality butchery (her local) in Cremorne, something that she’s always wanted to do. Her rich experience has lent itself to both a thirst and acquisition of knowledge across sustainable agriculture, modern farming practices and the development of superior produce. Down the track Kylie is set on establishing a restaurant and farm that highlights the beauty of produce grown in both sustainable and organic methods.

Kylie has written a recipe below to be paired with the exquisite 2019 Ngeringa Mount Barker Pinot Noir. Ngeringa are one of the oldest biodynamic farms in Australia and produce some incredible wines that tick all the boxes across both taste and sustainable practices.

The wine itself is light, juicy and aromatic. We spot blackberries, pomegranate and other red berries. The wine sucks the sides of your cheek in. Vibrant, fresh and full of natural energy. The dish compliments this wine extremely well with the salty notes of the sardines and the anise-like flavour of the fennel.

Serves 4-6

( snacks)

Sardines in oil

– 1kg fresh sardines

– 500ml good quality olive oil

– 3 strips lemon peel

– 5 whole peppercorns

– Tops from 1 fennel

– Pepper and salt to season

Bone Marrow

– 4 marrow bones, split lengthways

– Salt and pepper

Fennel

– 2 small fennel bulbs shaved thinly

– 50ml oil from the sardines

– Lemon

– Salt and Pepper to season

To Serve

– Sardines in oil

– Warm bone marrow

– Fennel Salad

– Baguette warmed and torn into pieces

– Flaked salt and cracked pepper.

To prepare sardines, start with the backbone facing you, make a small cut behind the head and slide your knife down the frame of the fish to the tail to get your first fillet. Flip the fish over and repeat. Clean off any of the gut. The fish don’t need pin boning but you can cut the ribs out with a small knife.

Fillet the remaining fish, placing on a plate in a single layer.

For the oil, place remaining ingredients into a pot over a low heat and bring to around 85 degrees Celsius. While the oil is still warm spoon over sardines to gently cook, season with salt and pepper.

To prepare sardines, start with the backbone facing you, make a small cut behind the head and slide your knife down the frame of the fish to the tail to get your first fillet. Flip the fish over and repeat. Clean off any of the gut. The fish don’t need pin boning but you can cut the ribs out with a small knife.

Fillet the remaining fish, placing on a plate in a single layer.

For the oil, place remaining ingredients into a pot over a low heat and bring to around 85 degrees Celsius. While the oil is still warm spoon over sardines to gently cook, season with salt and pepper.

Mix fennel and oil together, season with a small amount of lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Arrange fennel salad, a scoop of marrow and sardine fillet on top of the baguette pieces. Season with salt and pepper.