Watch The Cook and the Chef online: Episode 21 New Zealand Salmon + Wasabi

Maggie and Simon’s culinary adventure in New Zealand continues this week as we find Simon on the South Island checking out the amazing Wasabi plant and visiting a salmon farm near Mount Cook where the fish are so good they’ve caught the attention of the Emperor of Japan. The show kicks off with Simon visiting Fenton Wood’s wasabi farm near Christchurch. Sometimes known as Japanese horseradish, wasabi has many health and dietary benefits, which is probably why it was so highly prized by the ancient Japanese. Fenton tells Simon that most wasabi paste which is available commercially is not actually wasabi but rather horseradish paste with artificial colour and flavour added. Wasabi is a tricky plant to grow and demands precise climactic conditions, taking 18 months to two years to mature before harvest. It can be grown either in streams (the traditional Japanese method) or in soil, the way Fenton grows his. It flourishes in both environments, with no discernible difference in flavour. Pure, oxygen rich water is one of the key growing factors in either soil or streams. The pungency unique to Wasabi (known as isothiocyanates) is quite volatile and evaporates easily, which is why the rhizomes are served fresh in many Japanese restaurants. The heat really hits the front of the nose and is very different from the heat associated with chilli – which is why Maggie loves wasabi! Back in the kitchen Simon grates a wasabi rhizome onto his Salmon Tartare while Maggie adds the paste to her avocado dip. Sticking in the South Island, Simon is shown around an amazing Salmon Farm near Mount Cook by one the farm’s directors, Rick Ramsey. The farm lays claim to being the highest salmon farm in the world and is situated on hydro canals that were constructed by the New Zealand government for power generation. The canals are fed by glacier and snow melt from the Southern Alps. The quality of the water - both above and below the farm - rivals the best of bottled waters, and the fish thrive in it. The fish are pure King salmon, free of chemicals, vaccines, GMO and antibiotics. The pristine, highly oxygenated water and plenty of exercise for the fish mean there is no disease. Due to the constant vigorous swimming, the flesh of the salmon is firm, flexible and moist with a very low fat content, making it highly sought after, particularly in the Japanese market where it is prized for making sushi and sashimi. Even the Emperor of Japan is a fan! Here in Australia we’re more accustomed to eating Atlantic Salmon, but Maggie and Simon think the NZ Pacific Salmon compares very favourably. Simon whips up a traditional Scottish take on the fish, poaching it and serving it with leeks and “tatties”, while Maggie glazes and grills hers before serving with a side dish of celeriac and pomegranate. Recipes: - Kingfish with Avocado and Wasabi - Pacific Salmon Tartare - Glazed Salmon with Celeriac - Poached Pacific Salmon - Maggie's Mayonnaise

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