Starter: Prep time approx 20 minutes plus 2 hours chilling
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step 1. Place the egg white in a bowl and whip lightly to break up and loosen. step 2. Put the caster sugar on a plate. Using a small pastry brush, paint the melon first with egg white then sprinkle and dip gently in the sugar step 3. Place on a tray lined with non-stick baking parchment and leave to harden and dry. step 4. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl ASSEMBLE WHEN READY TO SERVE step 1. Put mixture in a shallow dish or glass step 2. Stack melon and garnish with mint leaf | |
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FOR THE PROVENCAL SAUCE step 1. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large heavy saucepan. step 2. Add the onions, garlic, pepper and courgette and gently cook until onions are soft. step 3. Add the tomato puree and sugar, mix well together. step 4. Add chicken stock, tomatoes and basil. step 5. Season and simmer for about 10 - 15 minutes. FOR THE SEABASS step 1. Descale and trim into neat fillets, keeping skin on. step 2. Score the fillets with a sharp knife. step 3. pan fry, skin side down in a small amount of oil. step 4. Season the top of the fillet and cook from the bottom up. step 5. When the fillets are 90% cooked , flip over and finish on the other side. step 6. Spoon over some of the cooking oil to add an extra crispness to the skin. step 7. Serve the fillets skin side up on top of provencal sauce. | |
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step 1. Pre heat oven gas mark 5 (190c/375f) step 2. Line base of four ramekin dishes (10cm/4in-diameter deep) with silicone paper step 3. Melt butter and brush inside ramekins thoroughly, then sprinkle with sugar until coated evenly step 4. Roughly chop plums and place in saucepan with the caster sugar, water and ground cinnamon and cook gently for five minutes or until softened slightly. set aside to cool step 5. Cut crusts off bread and using a pastry cutter cut out four rounds to fit the base of each ramekin step 6. Dip the bread rounds into the melted butter and and fit them into the dishes step 7. Cut another four rounds for the tops of the ramekins and set aside step 8. Cut the remaining bread into strips and dip into the melted butter and use to line the sides of the ramekins completely step 9. Stir in the ground almonds into the plum mixture and divide into the ramekins step 10. Place the remaining bread rounds on top and brush with butter step 11. Place the ramekins on a baking tray and cook for 25 minutes CALVADOS SAUCE step 1. Place the egg yolks and caster sugar in a large bowl whisk together until pale step 2. Places the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk in the calvados. step 3. Continue whisking until the mixture is light and frothy step 4. Serve immediately | |
Do guests holiday in the winter? For me this is the perfect time to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. It might not be suitable for everyone, but you’ll be surprised at what you can see and do during the winter months here.
One of the best sights of the winter, I think, is the deer. They’re so gracious and are often seen on the top fields overlooking the guest house. During the early mornings it’s not uncommon to see them heading across the bridge and along the country lanes, taking shortcuts from one field to the next to graze and take refuge in the woods.
Johnny Kingdom, the BBC wildlife presenter, is a familiar face in the local pannier market and has recently broadcast “A year on Exmoor” and “Year with the Birds”. He certainly knows the best places to visit on Exmoor if you’re interested in any type of wildlife.
Another bonus is the traffic - well, lack of it! If you like the open roads and the feeling that virtually nobody exits but you, then this is definitely the right time of year to visit.
I love visiting RHS Rosemoor around this time of the year. Apart from the amazing gardens and 65 acres of woodland, they also hold many special events throughout the year and if you’re planning to liven up your veggie plot or need some vital tips on rose pruning, then these special events are waiting for you throughout the winter months. I’ll be there at the front of the queue with pen and pad in hand! Our vegetable plot was good last year, you can really taste the difference from shop bought produce and we hope to continue using our own fruit and veg in our menus in the coming months. Oh, you can visit Rosemoor for free on 4th March 2011 with the early spring plants in bloom it will look fantastic.
After a day out, probably one of the best things to come back to is the burning log fire warming the large guest lounge, often missed out on summer visits. You can literally smell the burning embers coming from the chimney which greet you as you drive up the winding lane to the house. Maybe its the combination of the cold outside and the knowledge of returning to a glowing fire that gives you that satisfactory feeling of home.
Those of you who enjoy the odd bit of star gazing may be lucky enough to see meteor showers in the clear winter night skies which are surprisingly frequent, due to little pollution and no obscurities from a city skyline.
Lastly it would be sacrilege not to mention the food we have on offer.
I love using quality, local produce, available in abundance no matter what season. Bringing them together and creating wholesome food that fills the soul is so satisfying, especially when guests demand the recipes before leaving. Winter gives me the opportunity to offer dishes that you don’t generally get to see during the summer months.
Autumn and winter offers so much and hopefully reading this blog has answered the question. We are open all year round and many people who enjoy the above have found Sampson Barton the ideal place to relax and unwind.
For more about life, special breaks and recipes visit sampson Barton
