we thought we’d put together a seasonal update of all the highlights in and around faber as we create new recipes and gather inspiration from our inCredible shorelines.
THE SEASON
The beginning of autumn is certainly the most bountiful time of year, the abundance of summer fruits and hauls from relatively mild seas, not top of the autumn harvest of fruits, roots & vegetables endows us with so much choice. As the season roles on choices gradually change and new dishes can appear at tables that comfort us as the nights draw in. Out at sea the weather becomes more temperamental and can mean lower stocks of some fish and shellfish but it’s also a time when classic fish like cod and plaice begin to migrate into shallower waters around our isles.
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER / NOVEMBER
WHAT’s ON
25th November – 5th January
Not strictly an autumn event but it might be time to start planning those festive dinners and liaisons to get the best seats and best dates. We’ve lined up feasts and treats for everyone to come along and enjoy a coastal christmas.
Every Sunday
Just like all our ingredients are roasts are inspired and ingredients sourced from our shorelines. With a selection of sustainable meat & veg from coastline farms and day boat fish alongside roasties, seasonal veg and our own lobster gravy. Kids menu also available.
Recipe
HADDOCK & RICOTTA DUMPLINGS WITH NUTMEG & PARMESAN CREAM SAUCE
A great standalone dish for a weekday lunch or a light but generous starter for a dinner party; it’s surely a favourite as we move into autumn and crave rich sauces and smokier flavours. Using a firm British favourite white fish, classically smoked that is in prime season as shoals move into day boat fishing grounds as they migrate into warmer, shallower waters.
SERVES: 4 COOK IN: 60 MINS DIFFICULTY: HARD
INGREDIENTS:
500g smk haddock
1/4tsp chilli flake
500ml cream
200ml milk
1 bay leaf
2 sage leaves
3 pink peppercorns
1 shallot peeled and halved
2 cloves garlic
200g ricotta
20g Parmesan plus more for the sauce
1/2 tbsp plain flour
1/4 nutmeg finely grated
5 egg yolks
50g semolina
PROCESS:
First things first you’ll need to get your haddock gently poaching to both cook it and also gently flavour the cream and milk which we’ll use to create our luxurious final sauce. Add the chilli, bay leaf, sage, and peppercorns to the milk along with the shallot and garlic. These will all add depth and complexity which equal maximum flavour.
Poach the haddock on a gentle heat till the flesh flakes away from the skin and let it cool in the cream mixture till cold enough to handle.
Flake the flesh and catch any bones and discard. Sieve the liquid and reserve for later.
Now to the dumplings. In a bowl mix together the flaked haddock, ricotta, Parmesan, flour, nutmeg, egg yolk and a little salt and pepper. Shape these into golf ball sized portions. This is a dish of lightness and delicacy so be careful not to work the mixture too much.
Roll the dumplings in the semolina and leave to firm up in the fridge overnight ideally or at least an hour. Bring some seasoned water to the boil in a big pot and gently lower the dumplings in. They don’t need long; 2-3 minutes at most. Scoop out onto a plate and drizzle a little olive oil atop.
In a separate pan add the sieved cream and reduce for a minute. This will help with the texture of the sauce and intensify the flavour nicely. Add the dumplings back in with a big whack of grated Parmesan; a few spins of the pan to incorporate the Parmesan and you’re ready to plate. Check for seasoning and adjust if necessary. I’m a lover of white pepper so usually a few more cracks of this get administered.
OR enjoy at our place this autumn
ROADtrips
WHITE HORSE BRANCASTER
An overnight visit to The White Horse at Brancaster Staithe is a quintessential Norfolk experience, run by the Nye’s a family generational business (caveat here, they are great friends of us at Faber) Perfect for those seeking coastal charm and culinary delights. Nestled in the heart of the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this wonderful inn offers breathtaking views of the Brancaster Marshes and the expansive North Sea, you can literally see where your mussels have been plucked from!
Arriving mid-morning, we began our day with a visit to the charming seaside town of Wells-next-the-Sea. Famous for its expansive beach and those vibrant coloured beach huts that appear on just about every Instagram post, it’s perfect for a ‘blow the cobwebs away’ walk and cheeky ice cream. The sands literally stretch for miles and are intermingled with sand dunes and pine woodland. They are a reminder you don’t need to travel far for the best beaches in the world.
Arriving in the late afternoon, it’s a quick check into the room, the view, comfy bed and nice touch of a telescope to scan the coastline and try and identify which boat your lobster comes from our on the water are awesome. But that’s not why you are here! We head straight down to the garden and marque at the end of the garden and butted up to the marshes. It’s a bottle of white wine and a seafood platter to share whilst the sun drops for epic views over the marsh and shoreline!
Ambling into the pub for dinner! There is only one choice, the mussels, local and gigantic! Full of flavour, credit to Fran the head chef. Dessert, sticky toffee pudding, just to indulge a little bit! Then off for the best night’s sleep ever! Admiring the stars through the telescope before snoring… obviously!
COCKTAIL
THE GROG
Whilst we romanticise our seas and oceans (and why wouldn’t we) it did present a myriad of challenges faced by seafarers, one of the most persistent in ye olde days was scurvy, a debilitating disease caused by a lack of vitamin C. Enter the hero, our cocktail of the season and a darn good story! Click through for the full mystical story and our improved recipe for what is rumoured to be the first cocktail ever created.
We look forward to seeing you soon!