Located in the picturesque village of Shipton-under-Wychwood in West Oxfordshire, just four miles from Burford, you will find the atmospheric Wychwood Inn. Not only does this boutique hotel with its luxuriously appointed five ensuite bedrooms provide the perfect location to stay for a few nights when exploring the Cotswolds just on its doorstep, but book a table for lunch or dinner and you can enjoy a selection of undeniably British classic dishes, many crafted with a contemporary twist. You can choose to sit indoors in the bar or restaurant or – if the weather is favourable – in the outdoor dining area, complete with an outdoor bar.
Since head chef Joe McCarthy joined the Wychwood Inn seven years ago, together with his small team in the kitchen, he has put the inn on the culinary map. Having undertaken his apprenticeship at the prestigious Lords of the Manor Hotel in Upper Slaughter, whilst training at the Gloucestershire College in Cheltenham, Joe subsequently gained additional experience at a number of high-profile restaurants in the Cotswolds. Now, he and his team of talented chefs, develop some unique dishes based on classic British favourites.
The menu changes regularly with the seasons to ensure the best seasonal produce features on the menu. Amongst the classic favourites for the spring menu are starters of ham hock terrine served with fresh pea velouté, crispy cacklebean egg, pickled pearl onions and chilli oil. Main courses include traditional beer-battered fish and chips with the crispiest flavoursome batter, and another spring favourite: pan-seared hake with pearl barley and leek, crème fraiche and dill. For pie lovers, variations feature throughout the year but traditional Steak and Ale pie is amongst the true favourites served with fondant potatoes, celeriac puree, burnt shallots and crispy kale. Vegetarians and vegans are also well catered for with interesting dishes that appeal to all diners.
As you would expect from a quintessential British pub restaurant, the dessert menu always has some classic British favourites to choose from. There is a rich rhubarb and custard sherbet chocolate brownie served with salted caramel vanilla ice cream and a truly decadent dark chocolate delice with blood orange and hazelnut or a well-dressed banoffee sundae.
To celebrate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the Wychwood Inn is planning a picnic in the garden event which will include a classic twist on British favourites.
If you are inspired by Joe’s fabulous food, why not have a go at making his recipe shown below?
STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING • WHISKEY CARAMEL • PICKLED DATES • WALNUT TUILE
Sticky Toffee Pudding
INGREDIENTS:
- 300ml water
- 200g dates
- 2tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 125g butter cubed (room temperature)
- 125g soft dark brown sugar
- 125g plain flour
- Three eggs
- 30cm terrine
METHOD:
- Immerse the dates with 600ml of boiling water, cover and leave for 15 minutes to allow the dates to soften
- Blitz together
- Whisk the butter and sugar together until smooth
- Whisk in the flour
- Gently fold in the eggs two at a time
- Add the bicarbonate of soda
- And the date mixture and mix until lump-free
- Line a terrine mould and fill with mixture, this will fill 1X terrine
- Add the terrine to a deep tray and add an inch of boiling water to the tray
- Cover with foil and cook for 45 minutes at 170oC
- Remove the foil and cook for a further 15 minutes
- Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack
Whiskey Caramel
INGREDIENTS:
- 100g butter
- 100g soft dark brown sugar
- 397g condensed milk
- 75ml double cream
- 4tbsp whiskey
- 1tsp sea salt
METHOD:
- Add all ingredients to a heavy-based saucepan, simmer for 30 minutes until thickened
- Remove from the heat, strain, and leave to cool
Pickled dates
INGREDIENTS:
- 200g dates
- 100g whiskey
- 200g caster sugar
- 300ml balsamic vinegar
METHOD:
- Add the whisky, sugar and balsamic to a pan and bring to boiling point
- Pour the boiling liquid over the dates and cling film
- Leave to soften and infuse for 24 hours
Walnut Tuile (advanced)
INGREDIENTS:
- 70g walnuts
- 100g isomalt sugar*
- 100g liquid glucose
METHOD:
- Blend the walnuts to a fine powder
- Add the glucose to a heavy-based saucepan and bring to 130oC
- Add the isomalt to the pan and bring back to temperature
- Add the blended walnuts to the pan and take off the heat immediately tipping out onto a non-stick mat
- Leave to cool until completely cold and blend to a powder again
- On a non-stick tray spoon the powder into ring cutters to achieve the desired shape, remove the ring cutter and return to oven at 170oC for five minutes until golden brown
- Remove from oven and leave to cool
*Isomalt sugar vs sugar. While they may seem similar, isomalt and sugar are quite different. Isomalt has a much higher resistance to crystallization and humidity when compared to sugar. Unlike sugar, isomalt does not caramelize as easily and can keep its clear colour up until it reaches 400 degrees Fahrenheit. It is available from specialist cake shops or Amazon.
TO SERVE:
- Warm the sticky toffee, add warm caramel sauce, two warmed pickled dates and topped with vanilla ice cream
- Finish with fresh walnuts and walnut tuile
