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32 Episodes 2009 - 2009
Episode 1
25 mins
Maggie and Simon reflect upon their own experience of the evolution of Australian food. In the kitchen Maggie cooks a meat pie, but one with a difference: hers has rabbit. She follows it up with an iconic Aussie dish, the pavlova, throwing in some macadamias. Simon makes a delicious kangaroo salad, followed by some refreshing green tea.
Episode 2
25 mins
From pasta to gelati, tomatoes to octopus - Italian migrants have contributed enormously to our Australian way of life. Maggie's love of Italian opera and food is well known.
Episode 3
26 mins
Simon and Maggie celebrate the cross-cultural cuisine of Australia's own "Father Of Fusion" Cheong Liew. Simon explains about the popularity of Balti curries and how the British enjoy eating the Pakistani dish with chips. In the kitchen Simon whips up a vegetarian sweet corn Balti, while Maggie also mixes cuisines by preparing tongue with grilled kangaroo.
Episode 4
25 mins
Simon and Maggie go vegetarian, proving a meat free diet is far from bland and boring. Simon meets up with legendary Hare Krishna Chef, Kurma Dasa, who has written several books on vegetarian cookery. Inspired, Simon cooks a traditional Indian Dahl while Maggie dishes up a beautiful Leek and Aubergine Tart Tatin, as well as a Gnocchi (Semolina) with walnut sauce.
Episode 5
26 mins
Simon and Maggie are holding a tea party to celebrate the days when afternoon teas were quite the done thing. Maggie whips up a delicious Bakewell Tart, while Simon makes Eccle cakes, which he remembers calling "fly pies" in his schooldays. Later, Maggie visits with Melbourne's famous cook and food teacher Elizabeth Chong who tells us about Chinatown and the evolution of the dim sum.
Episode 6
25 mins
Maggie and Simon give French cuisine the go. Jean Francois Gavanon explains the evolution of French cuisine in Australia and back in the kitchen Maggie delights with a Bouillabaisse broth while Simon treats us to Duck Liver Parfait. Later on, Simon makes a number of Simon's Vanilla Cream and Berry tarts while Maggie makes a Pithivier.
Episode 7
25 mins
Maggie and Simon cook with Australian Native Foods and are shown by Warren Miller, a Wirangu and Kokatha man, how he cooks wombat and kangaroo tails. Back in the Barossa Valley, Maggie cooks her version of kangaroo tails - in a suet pastry pie and Simon cooks a super quick meal of Cockles with a native herb and spice twist. We also visit Renmark High School, whee under the instruction of Ian Howard and Gayle and Mike Quamby, students are involved in a pilot project to cultivate a commercial crop of 26,000 Kutjera or Desert Raisins.
Episode 8
25 mins
Maggie and Simon celebrate the meteoric rise of Australian restaurant culture. Sydney Chef Tetsuya Wakuda arrived in Australia in 1982 with no formal training and is now recognised as one of the world's best chefs and his restaurants have won numerous awards. As a tribute, Maggie cooks her version of Tetsuya's famous 'Confit of Ocean Trout', and Simon makes sashimi, with pickled daikon, ginger and a unique dipping sauce, both dishes celebrating the diversity and vibrancy of today's restaurant scene.
Episode 9
25 mins
Maggie and Simon revive some classic dishes from the 70s, with Maggie making a Chook Veronique - the first meal she ever served at a dinner party - while Simon cooks up his version of Duck a L'Orange, along with Dauphinoise potatoes. Food critic Leo Schofield reminisces about the bad old days of stodgy French provincial restaurants and to finish off, Maggie and Simon serve up a chocolate mousse and Apple Fool.
Episode 10
25 mins
Maggie ventures bravely into Simon's world of South East Asian cuisine, dishing up a delicious tamarind and pineapple broth while Simon demonstrates the importance of having a lovely clear stock for a Vietnamese classic, beef noodle soup. We meet the owners of the family run Vetnamese restaurant, Nghi Ngan Quan, who share their history of coming to Australia and opening their famous restaurant.
Episode 11
25 mins
Maggie and Simon take a look at some Australian classics such as Anzac biscuits and how they were invented by women so their men at war had something sweet to remind them of home. Maggie cooks Neenish Tarts and explains how this quirky tart that originated in New South Wales got its name. We also visit Margaret Hempel who heads the South Australian Country Women's Association catering team as she bakes Butterfly Cakes and other sweets and savouries for a member's 80th birthday party. Back in the kitchen Maggie cooks her version of the Jelly Cake while Simon gives a traditional sausage roll a real multicultural twist with some quite surprising ingredients.
Episode 12
26 mins
Maggie and Simon take a close look at the art of food presentation with Maggie taking us behind the scenes with food photographer Tony Lewis. In the kitchen Maggie makes Garfish and soba noodles while Simon treats us to Tournedos Rossini', a slow cooked fillet of beef. Chef Tetsuya Wakuda introduces us to his friend Mitsuo Shoji, a creator of special Japanese ceramics often used in Tetsuya's restaurants. Maggie and Simon finish the day off by making Tetsuya salad along with shitake and tofu fritters.
Episode 13
25 mins
The 1980s are making a comeback as Simon and Maggie celebrate the time when Aussie food came of age and the work of three very special cooks - Gay Bilson, Tony Bilson, and Janni Kyritsis.
Episode 14
25 mins
Maggie and Simon entice us outdoors into the late autumn sun to enjoy Greek inspired Barbequed goat, souvlaki, and baby octopus. Greek desserts are also on the menu.
Episode 15
26 mins
Maggie and Simon travel back to a time in Australia's history when rations were doled out to workers and meat became not just a symbol of Australia's prosperity, but a major part of the Australian diet. The cook and the chef are given the challenge of using 'rations' - 10lbs meat, 10lbs flour, 2lbs sugar and a ¼ lb each of tea and salt, plus a little rum - the weekly food allowance for a rural worker in 19th century Australia. Maggie starts simply with Bread and Dripping and Fried Onions while Simon makes a Pound Cake. Later, Maggie cooks Rib of Beef with Black Pepper Crust and Bernaise Sauce in homage to her newly discovered convict ancestor who became a cattle farmer while Simon cooks a recipe direct from a 19th century kitchen - Braised Mutton with Suet Dumplings.
Episode 16
25 mins
Maggie and Simon celebrate the success and career of Melbourne based chef Shannon Bennett in this episode. Shannon left for England where he worked for two of Europe's top chefs, John Burton Race and Marco Pierre White before returning to Melbourne in 2000 to fulfil his dream of opening his very own classic French restaurant. In the kitchen, Maggie and Simon cook four irresistible dishes, Steak Tartare and Slow Cooked Lamb, followed by Chocolate Mousse and Quince and Prune Croustillant.
Episode 17
27 mins
Maggie and Simon both love cookbooks, so the show kicks off this week with Maggie showing off her impressive collection.
Episode 18
25 mins
Stephanie Alexander features as a cook who has influenced not only the way we dine but the way we think about food. Maggie and Simon celebrate Stephanie's contribution to the culinary world.
Episode 19
25 mins
Margaret Fulton has been called the Isabella Beeton of Australian cookery and with over 4 million cookery book sales she has influenced the way Australians have entertained and eaten for over fifty years. Maggie and Simon dish up a number of dishes in this episode, including a delicious lamb crown roast, a marmalade steamed pudding, a roast leg of lamb with gravy, as well as Spanish cream.
Episode 20
25 mins
Maggie and Simon celebrate the era of 'Grand cuisine'. The 1970's and 80's heralded a renaissance in Australian restaurant culture, heavily influenced by French 'Haute or Grand cuisine' which was as much about the atmosphere and service, as it was food and wine. In the kitchen, Maggie and Simon dish up a feast, including sausage en brioche, flounder Picasso, pappardelle with poppy seeds and a tasty beef satay with peanut sauce.
Episode 21
26 mins
Maggie and Simon pay tribute to chef Kylie Kwong, attempting some of her famous recipes from one of her cookbooks. Simon first prepares a simple but delicious dish centered on a classic Chinese ingredient, fresh silken tofu while Maggie tries her hand at Sung Choi Bao. Later on, Simon shows off his take on Kylie's Chinese fried eggs while Maggie reproduces Kylie's oxtail.
Episode 22
25 mins
Simon loves Thai food and encourages heat- avoiding Maggie to 'dip a toe' into this chilli laden cuisine. Yukiko Anschutz explains how Thai cooking in Australia is much easier these days as more fresh produce is readily available and we explore famed Thai chef David Thomson's love of Thai cooking. Back in the kitchen Maggie and Simon dish up egg nets, prawn crackers spiced chicken with plum sauce and black sticky rice (kao niaw kao muun) and fresh mango.
Episode 23
24 mins
Bush tucker has come a long way since the 1980s when a few bushfood pioneers discovered that this country is jam packed with fantastic native wild foods.
Episode 24
25 mins
Maggie and Simon show us some home cooked alternatives to the mass produced 'convenience' foods that dominate our supermarket shelves today.
Episode 25
25 mins
Simon is a big fan of Gordon Ramsay, one of the UK's most notorious celebrity chefs, so decides to cook a timbale recipe of Gordon's - with the added touch of some delicious South Australian mullet.
Episode 26
26 mins
Maggie and Simon tip their hats to the magical Mediterranean flavours of Lebanese cuisine. Pomegranate, lemon juice, pine nuts, olives and walnuts are just some of the fresh ingredients employed.
Episode 27
25 mins
Maggie and Simon pay homage to the regional food culture of the Barossa Valley. Graham Linke provides an insight into the centuries old method of smoking meats before Maggie cooks a dish from her first days in the valley, and after teasing some secrets from numerous bakers and butchers, Simon valiantly attempts some old German specialities.
Episode 28
25 mins
Maggie and Simon cook up some ancient grains and take a good look at the 'Slow Food' movement, just what's needed to rustle up a warm and comforting Winter menu.
Episode 29
25 mins
When the British first arrived here they brought the idea of public hotels - or 'pubs' - with them, and they've been a prominent feature of the Australian landscape ever since.
Episode 30
26 mins
One thing Maggie and Simon are unanimous on is that there is nothing quite like the satisfaction of cooking with something you have grown in your own garden.
Episode 31
25 mins
Maggie and Simon look at the past, the present and the future of food in Australia. They create recipes using their favourite foods that are grown sustainably and locally sourced.
Episode 32
26 mins
As they say, all good things have to come to an end and sadly tonight's program is the very last of the Cook and the Chef, but to go out with a bang and to celebrate four fabulous years.