The tantalising memories of the delectable dishes served at Wilderness 2023 still linger in our minds. Our Long Table Banquets featured culinary virtuosos such as Olia Hercules, Patrick Williams, Jeremy Lee, and Dom Fernando, who presented an extravagant feast. Meanwhile, The Chef's Table, nestled by the serene Lake Wilderness, offered an intimate dining experience, from award-winning chefs, Adam Handling, Anthony Demetre, Wilsons and Masaki Sugisaki. The Wilderness Kitchen showcased an array of delightful vegan and vegetarian delights, and attendees were treated to classes ranging from co*cktail and crown crafting to perfecting their nacho skills. The culinary adventures of Wilderness have once again left an indelible mark on the hearts and memories of many. We simply cannot wait to welcome you back to Cornbury Park next year for even more unmissable feasting and dining experiences that are sure to excite the senses. Want to be the first to find out when our Wilderness 2024 experiences go on sale? Be sure to sign up to our newsletter here to stay in the know.
As the golden hues of summer transition into the russet tones of autumn, we eagerly embrace the comforting warmth of hearty, soul-satisfying dishes. We are excited to share a handful of Autumn recipes, thoughtfully crafted in collaboration with our friends at Social Pantry. For those who, like us, still yearn for the culinary wonders of Wilderness this year, these dishes are a must-try...
Pumpkin Buttermilk Pancakes with Caramelised Oranges and Pistachio
Nothing says lazy Sunday morning like a stack of fresh pancakes, slippers on and fresh coffee at the ready. You cannot go wrong. Have a look at what you have in the cupboard and feel free to add to the list of toppings. You’ve made the pancakes so your rules, anything goes!
This recipes makes 8 – 10 pancakes
Ingredients:
- 200g self-raising flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp golden caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 30g melted butter
- 100ml milk
- 100ml pumpkin puree
- 1 orange
- 3 tbsp pistachio nuts
- Syrup to drizzle over the top
Method:
- Sift the flour, baking powder and sugar into a large bowl and create a well in the centre
- Add in the eggs, melted butter, milk and pumpkin puree and whisk together
- Cook by frying in a non-stick pan with melted butter, cook for 1 – 2 mins on each side or until golden brown
- Segment the orange and mark on a hot griddle
- Serve with a good glug of syrup, sprinkle over the chopped pistachio and caramelised orange
- Enjoy!
Roast Delica Pumpkin, Spiced Carrot Puree, Baked Feta, Hazelnut Oregano Dressing and Kale
An effortless and delicious way to dress up roasted pumpkin. Perfect for a light dinner, packed full of flavour.
This recipes serves 6
Ingredients:
- Delica Pumpkin x 1
- Feta x 200g
- Kale, leaves removed x 1 bunch
For the Spiced Carrot Puree:
- Carrots, washed and thinly sliced x 500g
- Banana Shallot, thinly sliced x 2
- Garlic Cloves, crushed x 2
- Tomato Puree x 1tsp
- Tandori Spice Mix x ½ tsp
- Cumin Ground x 1 tsp
- Veg Stock x 2 litres
- Cooking Olive Oil x 3tbsp
- Hazelnut Oregano Dressing:
- Roughly Chopped Hazelnuts x 100g
- Oregano leaves, finely chopped x 20g
- Basil Leaves and Stalks, finely sliced x 20g
- Confit Garlic, crushed x 2 cloves (or 1 fresh garlic clove)
- Lemon, zest and juice x 1
- Olive Oil x 2 tbsp
- Sea Salt to taste
Method:
- Start by making the spiced carrot puree, sweat the shallots with a little oil and salt in a saucepan, on a medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Once translucent, add in the carrots and turn the heat up a little. Allow the carrots and shallots to caramelized before adding in the garlic, tomato paste and spices, cook out for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Add in the veg stock and bring to a simmer. Cool until carrots are soft all the way through.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C Fan.
- Meanwhile, wash the outside of the delica pumpkin and cut into quarters down the middle. Scoop out the seeds, these can be washed and roasted with spices as a snack or served as garnish. Then, cut each quarter into 3 wedges, dress with olive oil and sea salt and lay on a non-stick baking tray. Roast for 15-20 minutes until the flesh is soft but they hold their shape and don’t break. These can be done in advance and flashed through the oven for 8 minutes to heat up again.
- To make the Hazelnut and Oregano Dressing, heat a large frying pan with a little olive oil, add in the chopped hazelnuts and oregano and heat gently until the hazelnuts are golden and the oregano is fragrant. Remove from the pan and allow to cool. Once cool, add in the garlic, lemon juice, basil, salt to taste and more olive oil to dress if needed.
- When you are ready to blend the carrot puree, drain off the liquid but reserve so that you can add back in what you need. Place the carrot in a jug blender and blend until smooth, add in a little of the cooking liquid if you need but keep it nice and thick. Once blended taste and check seasoning, add sea salt to taste. Keep warm while you finish off the rest of the dish.
- Crumble the feta into a small non-stick baking tray and put under the grill until melted, bubbling and golden on top.
- Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and blanch the kale for 2 minutes and drain.
- To plate, spoon 2 large spoons of puree on the bottom of each plate, top with 2 wedges of the pumpkin, a little of the baked feta, kale and drizzle with the hazelnut and oregano dressing.
Pumpkin Soup, Seeded Crumb and Zero Waste Herb Stalk Oil
This velvety pumpkin soup is super easy to make, and is the delicious way to use those seasonal pumpkins... We like to serve ours up with a crunchy nut and seed crumb, and a drizzle of herb stalk infused oil for an extra kick of flavour.
This recipe serves 6
For the soup:
- 4 shallots, diced
- 1kg Pumpkin (or there abouts), peeled, deseeded and chopped into cubes.
- A good glug of olive oil
- 700ml of vegetable oil
- 150ml of double cream (or use a vegan alternative, we love Oatly)
- Sprinkle of chilli flakes (optional)
Method:
- Heat a glug of olive oil on the stove, then gently cook the shallots until they’re glassy and soft, but not brown
- Add your pumpkin cubes and continue cooking, stirring regularly, until the veggies are going golden.
- Pour your veggie stock into the pan, and season with salt and pepper to your taste. If you’re into chilli, now’s a good time to add a sprinkle!
- Add your cream (or vegan alternative) to the pan, then puree with a hand blender. You can sieve it so make it extra velvety, but we usually find there’s no need.
Walnut, pumpkin and fennel seed crumb:
- 50g roughly chopped walnuts
- 50g pumpkin seeds
- 1tbsp fennel seeds
- Herb stalk oil, or your choice of herb infused olive oil
Method:
- Preheat your oven to 180 degrees
- Pop your nuts and seeds onto a roasting tray. Season with salt and pepper, add a drizzle of olive oil.
- Heat in the oven for 5 minutes, until they’re golden brown
For the herb stalk infused oil:
- Leftover herb stalks
- A bottle of olive oil
- A coffee filter
Method:
- Collect your favourite herb stalks – basil, thyme, rosemary and parsley all work well
- Blanch them for 10 seconds in a pan of boiling, salted water.
- Dunk them straight into an ice bath.
- Drain, and blitz together in a blender with olive oil until you have a puree. We recommend about 100ml olive oil per bunch of stalks.
- Pop a coffee filter in a sieve, and then set over a measuring jug overnight.
- By morning, you’ll have a punchy herb oil to add to soups, salads, drizzle on bruschetta, or add to veggies before roasting in the oven.
