Watch The Cook and the Chef online: Episode 36 Produce of Two Islands

Produce from Tasmania and Kangaroo Island features on tonight's program. Simon travels to Hobart on the hunt for some green tea, while Maggie soak's up some spirits on South Australia's Kangaroo Island. South of Hobart in the delightfully named Sandlfy Simon found Gordon and Jane Brown growing an unusual crop: Green Tea! After getting over the shock of finding tea growing in Tassie, Simon found out that most black tea is actually grown in highland regions so it’s not actually all that unusual to grow tea in such a cold climate. He also discovered that green tea is actually a form of camellia and therefore a very attractive plant. A research scientist, Gordon was involved in the first trials of green tea in Tasmania but fell in love with the plant and decided to commercialise it, drawing on his expertise in the area of food drying. Gordon and Jane visited Japan on several occasions to learn from the masters of green tea cultivation, and after tasting the delightful brew Simon declares that the Japanese must be jealous! Back in the kitchen Simon’s ‘chasing tannins’ as he embarks upon an epic desert, ‘Green Tea Tiramisu’. Italian in origin it’s usually made by layering sponge fingers soaked in coffee, orange liqueur, with a filling of mascarpone, egg whites and vanilla. Always up for a challenge Simon replaces the coffee with his Tasmanian green tea, giving a uniquely fresh and agreeable twist to this traditional dish. Simon has brought back some Tasmanian goodies for Maggie, in the form of dried Morello cherries, also grown by Jane and Gordon Brown. These are perfect for Maggies ‘Spatchcock Squab’, providing a rich sweet and sour stuffing, when combined with roasted garlic, rosemary, lemon and thyme. These flavours marry perfectly with the squab, but would work equally well with duck or quail, especially when served ‘Maggies way’, with a little broccoli and the juice from the roasting pan. Until recently the practice of distilling was the domain of large companies, but changes to Australia’s excise laws have allowed a number of boutique distilleries to start up around the country. One of these is run by Jon & Sarah Lark on beautiful Kangaroo Island and Maggie went to see what they were producing. They make a range of unique spirits from ingredients found on the island including a Sambuca style liquor, made from wild fennel which the Lark family collect each summer. This proved to be an ideal ingredient for Maggie’s Pear fennel & aniseed Relish. Easy to prepare and cook this anise flavoured delight can be served the next day or bottled in a sterile jar and kept for a few months, allowing the flavour to really develop. Seduced by Maggies liquor, Simon pulls out the wok and makes Anisette Prawns, an irresistable combination of fennel, tomatoes, garlic, and cayenne, served with fresh bread or rice. It works superbly well with the anise liquor, but if you can’t get hold of that, Ouzo or Sambuca would do the job just as well. Recipes: - Pear, Fennel and Aniseed Relish - Squab with Cherries - Green Tea Tiramisu - Anisette Prawns

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