Summer’s here and we have a great new Lounge and Terrace menu in full swing. This summer in the Lake District promises to be a hot one and here at the Beech Hill we have the perfect place to enjoy it! For those of you who haven’t yet experienced our fantastic lake view terrace, what are you waiting for?!

Take some time to look through our website and gallery and check out our latest special offers, many include dinner in our award winning restaurant. I use fresh, local produce throughout all my menus and the whole dining experience is one to remember!

With the new Terrace menu I have retained some of the favourites, but brought in some, soon to be, classics!

Here’s a small a taster;

Succulent Fell bred Steak & Smoked Stilton Burger-with caramelised onions, watercress & dill pickle.

Crispy Parma Ham & Sage Croquettes- with beetroot puree & mustard sauce.

Deep-fried Whitebait – homemade dill tartar sauce, smooth mushy pea dip.

Rustic Farmhouse Ham Terrine –served with hot crusty bread, homemade piccalilli, & ketchup.

Hot-chocolate Fondue- Shortbread & meringue soldiers, homemade mint marshmallow & English strawberries.

There’s plenty more where these came from – but you’ll have to come and try them for yourselves!

Have a great summer, and I hope to see you soon!

Christopher G. Davies

Executive Head Chef

I always get excited as this time of year approaches-

The arrival of the legendry Formby Asparagus is the forerunner to English peas and broad beans, my three favourite green vegetables.

A couple of examples of how we use these delicious vegetables at Burlington’s Restaurant are:

Roasted Salmon Pave-Fresh garden peas, lettuce, smoked Cumbrian pancetta,  with tangy Caesar dressing

• Some lovely contrasting flavours explode in this dish- the richness of the salmon is intensified by the roasting process – which is cut through by the sweetness of the peas and lettuce, the sharp yet rich sauce refreshes the palette

White Muncaster Crab Cocktail & beignet- formby asparagus “vichysoisse”

• Flaked local crab meat bound in a chive mayonnaise –topped with a fried crab  & choux pastry  puff- served  in a creamy chilled asparagus, leek & potato soup

Asparagus Taster –crispy soft free-range egg- purple frizzee-hollandaise sauce

• This dish celebrates three contrasting varieties of asparagus- steamed Lancashire asparagus –from the village of Formby- char-grilled German white asparagus, (the most prized in their neck of the woods, chunky) French wild asparagus (resembling ears of wheat!) warmed in nonna Gemma virgin olive oil.
• They are treated in three different ways to preserve (wild asparagus-warmed)- intensify (white asparagus –char-grilled) and enhance-(English – steamed & buttered)
• They are served on a little purple frizzee lettuce – which has a taste of boiled jersey royals!
• And to finish a soft free-range egg from Bannerigg Farm in Windermere coated in crispy crumbs.

If we’ve tingled your taste buds why not come along to the restaurant and take advantage of our Gourmet Diners Club where up to four of you can dine at the restaurant and get up to 50% off your food bill.

Bon appetite

Christopher Davies

Executive head chef

Ingredients (serves 4)  -

• 120g Best Dark Chocolate (ideally 70%)
• 5 Egg Whites
• 40g Caster Sugar
• 2 Egg Yolks
• Zest of one Orange
• Dash Grand Marnier

Method –

Melt chocolate in a bowl over a pan of warm water, continually stirring.  (Do not let water boil).

Beat egg whites until form soft peaks, add sugar, beat until firm peaks.

Stir egg yolks into melted chocolate, add Grand Marnier and zest.

Whisk 1/3 egg whites to chocolate, fold remaining egg white delicately.

Chill for 3 hours

Serve on its own or as we do at the Beech Hill Hotel, as a Mille Feuille.

To do this make some stars from filo pastry (or any shape you wish).

Then simply put a good sized spoon of mousse on a plate then add a filo star/shape, then repeat again.  Dust with icing sugar, now it’s ready to serve.

Alistair Johnson

Sous Chef

Firstly a very happy new year to all our past, present and future guests.  May 2011 bring you happiness and prosperity.

On BBC Breakfast News this morning (Sunday 09/01/2011) two respected journalists/food critics were interviewed by the presenter about their predictions for top level food trends for 2011.  With great enthusiasm they cited how classic retro dishes – such as prawn cocktail and pie ‘n’ mash, scotch eggs, etc. would be returning with “twists” this year.

Well here are a few examples of dishes we have been bringing to the Beech Hill dining community for several years!

A couple of takes on the classic 70’s starter but not a lemon wedge in sight!

• Muncaster Crab & Flookburgh Shrimp “Cocktail” with lobster & tomato Marie rose sauce
• Warm Lobster & King Prawn Cocktail, with lobster & tomato béarnaise sauce

These small versions of a hearty pub or football match classic make great starters; the mini pastie comes with crimped edges just like a little Cornish pastie, very cute.

• Holker Partridge “Pie n Mash” – Char-grilled partridge breast & leek pie with celeriac mash
• Homemade Mini Oxtail & Foie Gras Pastie, with green beans and truffled mash
• Winster Rabbit Pie ‘n’ Mash – Rabbit and Parma ham pie, with watercress mash

A very grown up version of an 80’s kids favourite, but with ours it doesn’t have to be your dirty little food secret anymore!

• Crispy Mushroom, Spinach & Smoked Allerdale Cheese Pancake

Breakfast is too tasty to eat just once a day so we re-vamped it for dinner.

• “Ham ‘n’ Eggs” – Ham hock terrine with a mini foie gras scotch egg
• Micro “All Day Breakfast” – Kedgeree, pancetta cube, blood orange juice, grilled cherry tomatoes and an egg & mushroom frittata

Everybody’s favourite picnic snack …

• Mini Smoked Scotch Quail Egg with tomato chutney

So as Gok Wan has been known to say … ‘bang on trend!’

Have a great January.

Christopher G. Davies

Executive Head Chef