Both Maggie and Simon believe that there is nothing more important than to source the best possible ingredients to use when cooking. And the best way to do this is to use produce which is in season at the time of the cooking. In this episode Maggie searches for the perfect Tomato which she then uses to make a tomato bruschetta. Simon, not to be outdone, makes his own version of bruschetta using pear and goats cheese. They finish the program with two completely different ways to present Kingfish, and try green and black olives to make an accompanying olive tapenade. Recipes: - Pear/Apple and Chevre Bruschetta - Green Olive Tapenade - Grilled Kingfish with Slow Roasted tomatoes lemon and bay leaves - Kingfish Carpaccio - Tomato Bruschetta

Maggie Beer and Simon Bryant go squiding and it’s easy to see that this is a new experience for Maggie. But with beginners luck she pulls in squid after squid until Simon calls enough is enough and lets his last catch go. Back in the kitchen the two whip up a couple of different versions of a summer lunch. Back in the kitchen Simon cleans the squid while Maggie shows us how to make two different squid dishes; grilled or stuffed and baked in the oven. If you have ever wanted to know the easy way to clean Squid, this is the program to learn the secrets. Maggie continues on to add a salad (caper salad) and a desert (Vanilla Affogato) for an easy to make summer lunch. Simon comes to grip with an alternative summer lunch, the much-maligned Caesar salad, and makes his own version of a Vanilla Affogato. Recipes: - Stuffed Oven Baked Squid - Grilled squid au natural (no cleaning required) - Parsley, preserved lemon and caperberry salad - Caesar Salad - Almond Affogato - White Russian Affogato

Maggie & Simon travel to Mallyons organic stone fruit orchard on the river Murray to taste the organic peaches and apricots grown by Nick & Rita Builder. With a basket of fresh peaches they return to the kitchen. ‘Everything’s coming up peaches.’ Maggie shows how to make a wonderful makes Peach Jam, sharing a new method to check when it is ready to set, makes a simple Peach and Prosciutto salad and finishes with a Peach drink, or Bellini, squeezing the fresh peaches by hand straight into a jug to be topped up with a chilled sparkling white wine. Simon, with an eye on Maggie’s peach jam, whips up an ice-cream anglaise and finishes the ice-cream by stirring in some of the cooled peach jam and a little balsamic vinegar to make a Balsamic Ripple Icecream. He also goes head to head with Maggie and produces another salad using Peaches, Rocket and a mix of spices called ‘dukka’. Recipes: - Peach Jam - Grilled Peaches for salad with Prosciutto - Peach and sparkling wine drink (Bellini) - Balsamic Ripple Ice Cream - Peach, Rocket and Bush Dukka Salad

What better way to entertain than to have a Brunch. Simon and Maggie use eggs, oats and fruit to produce a magnificent spread to share with your friends on a weekend or holiday morning. After cooking breakfast for the hungry hordes at the Hilton, Simon joins Maggie in the Barossa for brunch. But they have to cook it first. Maggie has happily been up at the crack of dawn to collect the fresh eggs, and extols the virtue of happy chooks and free range eggs. Simon brings her a present to try, a white truffle and they both get to it and produce Scrambled Eggs - one with truffles one with orange zest, a recipe Maggie first used when she was newly married. No breakfast can be complete with out a dish using oats, and Maggie produces the most delicious creamy Oat Pancakes served with poached Peaches while Simon shares the secrets behind a classic Bircher Muesli. And since it’s a special brunch occasion both finish with a sweeter dish; Maggie with a delicious cake of Ricotta with a gutsy honey and pears, Simon with a grilled Watermelon. Recipes: - Scrambled Eggs with Orange Zest - Oat, Buttermilk And Honey Pancakes - Ricotta, Honey and Pears - Scrambled Eggs infused with Truffle - Bircher Muesli - Grilled Watermelon - "Kooky Tomato and Pistachio Sandwich."

This week on the Cook and the Chef, Maggie and Simon really show their different approaches to cooking. Maggie cooks a hearty meal for the family, while Simon gives a restaurant touch to his meal. It’s chicken and salads in two different ways with a shared simple desert of strawberries and mango. Living in the Barossa with all her family around her, Maggie and Colin often host a Sunday Lunch. Maggie’s approach is to roast up a chook, Roasted Barossa Chook with Preserved Lemon and Tarragon butter, serve it with Kipler potatoes roasted in the same pan an the chook, some greens, in this case Broccoli and a couple of salads, Freekah Salad and an Eggplant dish. The chook potatoes and greens are served on one large platter, the salads together in one large bowl (ostensibly to reduce the amount of washing up!) Simon spends much of his time in the Hotel and he uses his experience to show how to make individual meals, serving a form of Chicken Kiev with an Eggplant accompaniment. Recipes: - Strawberries - Strawberry and Mango Balsamic - Roasted Barossa Chook with Preserved Lemon and Tarragon butter - Freekeh Salad - Eggplant salad - Chicken Kiev - Eggplant fry

Maggie Beer and Simon Bryant invite us into the kitchen to share the secrets to having friends for dinner without fuss or failure - but with a little drama and presentation. Keep it simple, get fresh produce in season and prepare everything in advance are The Cook & The Chef’s easy steps to dinner party success. No Fuss - No failure - And a sense of drama in the presentation. These are the secrets to a dinner party which works not only for the food, but also for the hosts who can sit back, enjoy the night and not be fussed by worrying about the cooking. So work out what can be prepared in advance leaving very little to do at the last moment, and cook something a little different so that it gives a sense of occasion, while also sticking to some old favorites which you know cant fail. Maggie’s menu for the night consists of old favorites, Prawn Cocktail, and Pavlova, with Passion fruit and Banana while the main course is Duck breast with Sour Cherries. Simon uses the same ingredients and shows his different approach by making another version of a Prawn Cocktail, an alternative entrée, Duck Liver en Brioche with a fennel Salad, and if you don’t want a dessert, then Macaroons, to have with the coffee. Recipes: - Duck Breast with Sour Cherries - Maggie's Prawn cocktail - Simon's Prawn cocktail - Pavlova - Duck Liver en Brioche with Fennel Salad - Macaroons

Maggie asks Simon to help prepare for a party for 20 of her friends. She devises a menu that could be easily doubled or tripled depending on the size of the party. Simon adds a dish of his own and also introduces Maggie to every day catering for large numbers in his Restaurants. Maggie asks Simon to help prepare for a party for 20 of her friends. She devises a menu that could be easily doubled or tripled depending on the size of the party. Simon adds a dish of his own and also introduces Maggie to every day catering for large numbers in his Restaurants. Maggie devises a menu that not only has dramatic impact but also leaves her free to spend time with her friends. It’s a menu that could be easily doubled or trebled to suit the number of guests. She and Simon show how to make all the food before hand and serve up a Dukkah spice mix to be eaten with bread and oil, Chicken Legs with Balsamic Vinegar and a Cold Tomato Salad. Simon adds Whole Snapper Baked in Banana Leaves. The party food is finished off with an unmoulded Jelly made from Sparkling Shiraz and Raspberries. During the program, Maggie shares some of her secrets for throwing a party while Simon shows Maggie around his restaurant kitchen where up to 6,000 meals are cooked each week….catering on a really large scale. Recipes: - Berries in Jelly - Chook Legs with Balsamic - Cold Tomato Pasta - Whole Baked Snapper - Green Mango Salad - Dukka / a spice mix to serve with bread and oil

The season is on the change and Maggie and Simon prepare for an early autumn lunch. As Maggie lives in the Barossa, on Saturdays she shops at the Barossa Market to buy the fresh cheese and vegetables she requires. Simon also heads north to Gawler River to find the source of the Quail, and arrives at Maggie’s kitchen with fresh quail and oysters. Simon gets the cooking started with a Bloody Mary, reserving some of the mixture for a pre lunch drink of Bloody Mary and Oyster. Joining Simon with a Bloody Mary at hand, Maggie shows us how to make a starter of an Avocado and Tomato Jelly, followed by Grilled Quail, and a selection of cheese. Simon ups the anti and makes a dish requiring a little more time, a Heavenly Quail, and then shows how to shuck Oysters the easy way. If you want to know how to handle Quail, and open oysters, these two surely show you. Recipes: - Verjuice & Avocado Jelly - Barbecued Quail in a Fig Bath - Bloody Mary

Maggie and Simon share their secrets for making brilliant pizzas in conventional ovens. They start with the dough, create their favourite toppings and give tips to cooking in an oven. Simon also makes an alternative dough for a dessert, Fig Napoleon, while Maggie makes a dessert pizza. Not many of us are lucky enough to have a wood oven in the back yard. But all is not lost. If you want to make brilliant home cooked pizzas and have only a conventional oven, in this program Maggie and Simon share their secrets. They start with making the dough, create their favourite toppings and give the answer to getting that crisp base using a conventional oven. Simon also makes alternative dough for a dessert, Fig Napoleon, while Maggie makes a dessert pizza. Suggested topping combinations: 1. Maggie’s favourite; Pesto dotted with Persian feta, raw tomato, olive oil and basil added after cooking 2. Simon’s favourite; Tomato, boccincini and basil without any sauce other than a dribble of olive oil on the base. 3. Double pumpkin, black olives and sage. 4. Mushroom fried in butter, Persian feta, parsley and olive oil 5. Baby boccincini, par cooked pumpkin, anchovies and parsley 6. Very thin slices of potato, pancetta and rosemary and dribble of olive oil 7. For the kids; Tomato base, mozzarella and olives 8. Fig Pizza – savoury. 9. Fig Pizza – dessert. Recipes: - Double Pumpkin, Black Olives and Sage Pizza - Mushroom Pizza - Fig Napoleon - Dessert Pizza with figs - Pizza for the Kids - Savoury Fig Pizza - Potato Pizza - Bocconcini, Pumpkin & Anchovy Pizza

It’s Easter and Simon surprises Maggie with a chilli Easter Egg whipped up at work under the expert eyes of his pastry chefs. Maggie’s no fan of chilli but Simon’s determined to win her over. Simon’s chocolate work extends to Maggie’s kitchen while Maggie makes a delicious Russian Easter dessert. Maggie also heads out into the suburbs of Adelaide to source her favourite home grown tomato. An Easter Lunch: TomatoBread Salad with Octopus and Garlic Aioli Or Gazpacho followed by Octopus and Garlic Aioli, Finished off with a chocolate doll to have with coffee... Fine chocolate work is highly specialised but these days being able to buy couverture cooking chocolate at many fine food shops makes it easier. Simon uses a doll to make a gelatin mould into which he pours the chocolate to make an Easter present for the kids. He suggests that a doll is a tricky mould to make first up and to use some thing with less pieces for a first try, an egg shape for example. Maggie’s Pashka is the Easter treat that many Russians break lent with; the rich ricotta and cream combining with citrus flavours in a dish that is simple and delicious. Maggie and Simon both use tomatoes in their Easter fare; Maggie with a Tomato Bread Salad and Simon with a tomato water Gazpacho, restaurant style. To complete an Easter meal, Maggie then cooks up a whole Octopus, a popular Greek Orthodox food during the weeks leading up to Easter. Simon’s Garlic Aioli dressing is the perfect accompaniment. During the program Maggie is delighted by viewers who have sent in some of their home-grown heritage tomatoes. Many of these “tomatofiles” will still be picking their fruit past Easter, into May. Recipes: - Simon’s Tomato water Gazpacho with Gin - Octopus and Garlic Aioli - Chocolate Barbies - An Easter Dessert - Pashka - Tomato Bread Salad

Don’t know what to do with the kids during school holidays?

Raise a toast to the glorious grape as Simon and Maggie celebrate with the fruit of the vine.

It’s time to fire up the barbie and pay homage to Australia’s love of outdoor cooking and dining.

Welcome to an episode that’s Autumnal and extraordinary.

If you thought salads were just for Summer, think again! Its Autumn and the new seasons array of Fruit and Nuts sees Maggie and Simon whip up a collection of captivating flavours.

The great variety of autumn Fruit & Veg on offer has both Maggie & Simon embracing the season.

It’s the last week of Autumn and Maggie and Simon are indulging as they showcase a few of their favourite things.

Thanks to the European and Asian influences on Australian culture we are all increasingly appreciating the food value of fish that fishermen once called “Rubbish Fish”.

Maggie Beer says she wouldn’t be the cook she is today without great olive oil.

Maggie and Simon can’t bear the thought of anyone missing out on one of life’s great pleasures, good food, so they’ve come up with recipes to convince us that a gluten free diet doesn’t have to be a boring one.

Preparing for Christmas in June is not the norm for most of us, but for Maggie and Simon it’s the ideal time to plan ahead and ‘put down’ some ingredients to mature nicely for the festive season.

Maggie Beer is passionate about the Barossa Valley and its German Heritage.

The weather’s cooler..

When Simon returned to Adelaide, after studying to be a chef, he had a whole new appreciation for the Adelaide Hills.

Maggie and Simon bring back some Old Favourites and, of course, reveal secrets that take your cooking to another level.

It’s time to shake off the winter blues with a serve of piping hot comfort food.

Citrus is often considered a basic ingredient, but Simon and Maggie are convinced that it deserves more of a starring role in our kitchens so this week they give it its place in the sun.

Simon’s on a mission to get back to his English “Food Roots” with classic ingredients like Stilton Cheese and Pork sausages.

Around fourteen kilometres off the coast of South Australia lies a beautiful and unspoilt piece of land.

There is nothing like a leg of spring Lamb for the perfect Sunday Roast.

Its time to throw open the window, peel off the winter woollies and marvel at and the wonders of the new season.

Longer days and a more generous serving of sun; spring has arrived, and it’s the perfect time to get into fresh vegies.

Chefs love working with colour and contrast, but Maggie and Simon love a challenge so this week they’re going blonde.

When ‘offal’ is mentioned most of us think of the internal organs of animals, but the word also refers to anything that is considered worthless or thrown away.

It’s the middle of spring and the sunshine and longer days are a great excuse for people to get together and enjoy good company and good food.

If you’re a lover of shellfish, this one’s for you.

On today’s menu Maggie & Simon visit a couple of cooking mates & mentors, who have played a part in their professional & personal lives.

This week on the show Maggie and Simon go ‘wild’ by cooking up some dishes using ingredients that are not farmed.

Maggie & Simon set out to prove that some frozen produce not only has its merits but in some cases, has its advantages.

The warm spring days in the Barossa Valley are perfect for a barbecue and this week Maggie & Simon make the most of the weather to turn on the gas and start sizzling some of their favourite ingredients.

There’s cheese, cheese and more cheese in this episode of The Cook and The Chef.

Summer’s just around the corner and soon the days in the Barossa Valley will be hot and the risk of snakes too high to roam far, so Maggie is making the most of the last mild weather.

Christmas is fast approaching, but for some of us that brings the annual stress of working out how to feed a big group! This week Maggie and Simon demonstrate that cooking a Christmas lunch or dinner doesn’t have to be stressful, as they share some great tips on presenting simple but delicious Christmas fare, using turkey as the centre dish..