The lovely team at Achray House answered our questions about the restaurant with the most breathtaking views in St. Fillans. Here’s what they had to say about their business, post-lockdown plans and even some special recipes you should try at home if you haven’t already!
How would you describe Achray House in one sentence?
Small and passionate team providing genuine Scottish Hospitality in one of Scotland’s most scenic places.
What can you tell us about the history of Achray House?
The exact origin of the name, Achray House, is unknown. Built as a stately country home in the late 1800s, it was ‘Victoria Cottage’ for a while, in honour of Queen Victoria, who commented on it when passing St Fillans en route to the Highlands. But not long after, it became ‘Achray House’. In the 1900s Achray House became a guest house, and later a hotel.
What do your customers love most about dining at Achray House?
Exceptional food paired with fantastic wines. Served to them by enthusiastic people who love what they do. Our team truly cares about each and every service, guest and experience they are part of creating.
Do you have a signature dish?
One of our Chef Patron’s favorite ingredient is pork. Our ‘Ayrshire Pork Belly and Cheek, Tarragon Emulsion, Pork Crackling Crumb’ became an Achray favourite!
Do you have any special plans for when lockdown ends?
Yes, we do indeed. From brand new menu concepts, outdoor dining and contactless check-ins, we’re going to be as innovative as ever! It’s important to adapt in this industry, and we will do whatever it takes to open our doors to do what we love.
What have been your go-to lockdown recipes? Anything in particular that you think our readers should try at home?
We think your readers should try this dish because although it looks impressive, it is in fact very easy to do. Why not impress at your next dinner party? Keep an eye on our Instagram for more recipes like this:
Cod and Apple Dumplings
For the dough – 300g Plain Flour, 150ml Water, 3g Salt
For the Filling – 100g Cod, 50g Shallot, 60g Granny Smith Apples, 10g Green Chilli, 10ml Veg Oil, 2g Salt
Method
For the dough – combine all the ingredients in a bowl to form a ball that does not stick to the edges, wrap the dough in cling film and rest for 30 mins, use this time to prepare your filling.
For the filling – first semi freeze the cod, this makes it easier to dice, once ready, fine dice. Then take your shallot, apple, chilli and fine dice them also, add all this to a bowl and bind with vegetable oil and season.
For the dumplings -first start by rolling the dough out to the thickness of a CD, cut out a disc using a cutter to your preferred size, take a table spoon of the cod mix and place in the middle, using your finger rub a small amount of water around the edge of the disc to help it seal, fold over the dough being sure to push out as much air as possible. You can stop here or try your hand at crimping the edges to improve the presentation of the dumpling.
Boil in heavily seasoned water for 3 minutes and serve with a sauce of your choice.
Is there anything else you would like to say to our readers?
You won’t just dine with us at Achray House, it is much more of an experience. From the first greeting on arrival, we want to take our guests on a culinary journey in a relaxed, unpretentious setting. We want the most authentic of Scottish hospitality to shine through, which ultimately mean each guest leaves as a friend.
Don’t forget to follow Achray House on social media:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/onlochearn/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/achrayhouse/?hl=en
