Simon’s Suppers
Lancashire has some hidden gems on our doorstep, where you can admire the history and enjoy some wonderful festive food, writes Simon Smith. Photography: DocB Photography
Samlesbury Hall, is tucked away on Preston New Road, just a 10 minute drive from Preston and Blackburn. Its historic site is a haven of tranquility and great beauty. A wonderful stately home, the hall is a wonderful place to discover the history of the area and be guided around this amazing 12th century timber building.
Lunches are served in the restaurant which supports the trust keeping the hall alive and in good repair, it is open 12 noon till 3pm but because it is such a lovely place to get married is closed on Saturdays and occasional Fridays. It’s always a good idea to ring and book a table.
The brigade of chefs and the team are proud of the food they serve and rightly so. They only use the finest ingredients from Lancashire producers, herbs from the courtyard garden, with superb quality meat from the Bowland fells and surrounding countryside. The seafood similarly travels only a short hop from Fleetwood. A wide-ranging menu from tasty filling soups to homemade puddings served in a rustic, warm and welcoming place, this really is a little gem!
Believe it or not Christmas is just around the corner and it’s well worth looking out on the website for the Christmas events not to be missed at this special festive time of year, made all the better by the “olde worlde” romantic setting of Samlesbury Hall. We popped along to see what is going to be on the festive lunch menu and have a sneak tasting.
A great value menu at £21.95 for three courses, £16.95 for two and £10.50 for one course. To start a picture on a plate, honey coated goats cheese with baked polenta, topped with a glossy balsamic and honey glaze and sprinkled with pistachio nuts and nice sourdough bread, was absolutely delicious.
The crunchy topping like a crème Brulee added texture and flavour, complementing the warm and lovely cheese.
Judith’s Bouillabaisse, a classic combination whose ingredients had travelled from our homeport of Fleetwood. Anchovies, sardines, mussels and cockles all obviously fresh and lovely combined into this unctuous seafood broth, topped with a fennel crisp it made Judith very happy.
Other starters include a vegan leek and potato soup and a delicious rich, goose liver parfait with pickled hand picked blackberries and homemade cornbread.
For mains it had to be traditional roast turkey breast with all the trimmings, pigs in blankets, chestnut stuffing roast potatoes and a selection of seasonal vegetables. It was a great plateful of deliciousness.
Other main course options, roast beef, cod and chorizo stew and a vegetarian haggis completed a line up of lovely food with something for everyone.
Desserts and another piece of culinary art, a sticky toffee pudding with a festive pear baked in the centre, what a wonderful pud, with cinnamon ice cream, delicious fabulous cooking. My mince pie with a warm brownie topping and clotted cream was really Christmas on a plate followed by tea or coffee to finish a delightful festive luncheon.
