1 week Ago
Emma Walters at the Black Bull, Old Langho What is your current role and what does it involve? I am head chef of the Black Bull in Old Langho. I'm responsible for a brigade of five chefs, menu and dish design, and making sure our customers enjoy a wonderful dining experience, seven days a week. How long have you been a chef? 14 years.
How did you first get into cooking (and where was this)? The spark that began my career came at high school before I moved onto Hollingworth Business and Enterprise College, and then onto Hopwood Hall College. Where did you learn your craft? I began my professional career as a commis chef at The Eagle and Child in Ramsbottom where I was quickly promoted to chef de partie. I then moved to Nutters in Rochdale, being promoted again to a junior sous chef.
It was here I fell in love with advanced patisserie which remains a passion today. What was your first job in hospitality (and what did it entail)? My first part time job was in a pub called the Lady Barn in Rochdale where I worked as a commis chef. This involved basic prep and honing my skills.
What is your signature dish? My signature dish is the classic beef Wellington or any variation of it - beef, venison, salmon. You can’t beat the classics! It's not just meat wrapped in pastry but is a combination of beautiful harmonious flavours and the finest beef joint (fillet). Expect deep rustic flavours and luxury textures.
I enjoy cooking this dish because it takes quite a bit of skill and precision to get it perfect for every diner. It's also a perfect dish for two people. What’s been your worst cooking disaster? One night I suffered a baking nightmare - icing just wouldn’t stick to a celebration cake I was finishing off.
So at 3am I had to ring a fellow chef for help! What are your culinary ambitions? I’m thoroughly enjoying my current role, it’s a really positive step in my career journey. If more venues open within the company then I’d love to move up to group executive chef and help build out the wider business. What do you like to eat? Mexican and Chinese cuisine mainly.
It needs to be quick and easy though as I have to cook for the family who themselves have particular favourites. If I was to dine out, I usually opt for a quality steak, or something fresh, local and seasonal. How do you achieve a work/life balance? This is a challenging role but I’ve developed a great team behind me which means I can relax on my days off, mostly! ___________________________________________________________________________ Black Bull Inn & Restaurant Old Langho Rd, Blackburn BB6 8AW Tel: 01254 248801 www.
theblackbulloldlangho.co.uk Open for lunch and dinner 12noon – 8.
45pm Monday to Saturday, 12noon – 7.45pm on Sunday. The Black Bull Inn is open seven days a week, serving classic and contemporary British menu throughout the day and using the best quality seasonal produce from locally sourced suppliers.
A former coaching inn established in 1555, nestled in the hills and rolling green pastures of the Ribble Valley, their wonky walls would have many stories to tell of travellers from far and wide. The Black Bull has been sensitively renovated to keep the warmth and personality of this much-loved inn, which is the heart and soul of the village community. It is also the reigning Lancashire Tourism Awards Pub of the Year.
The Black Bull Inn and Restaurant is a Visit Lancashire Partner. Visit Lancashire, through their Taste Lancashire campaigns and activities, showcases Lancashire’s leading food and drink providers and producers, locally, nationally and internationally. For more information go to www.
visitlancashire.com/Taste RECIPE – The Black Bull’s Beef Wellington Ingredients 750g of Beef Fillet - trimmed of all sinew. 200g Button Mushrooms 200g Smooth Chicken Liver Pate 500g Puff Pastry 200g Parma Ham 500g Baby Leaf Spinach.
100g Shallots 100g Butter Maldon Sea Salt Crystals Mill Pepper Thyme Florets to Garnish 30ml Vegetable Oil Crepes 3 Eggs 200 ml Milk 200 ml Flour Pinch of Table Salt and White Pepper Equipment Frying Pan Baking Tray Lattice Roller Pastry Brush Rolling Pin Method Take the Fillet Steak and season well with Maldon Sea Salt Crystals and Mill Pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan until smoking then quickly seal the Fillet steak on all sides - 30 seconds per side until well coloured. Place fillet to once side in a fridge to cool.
Chop the mushrooms and shallots finely then shallow fry until most moisture has evaporated and then liquidise to a smooth paste then chill. Whilst your spinach in a little butter, squeeze, drain and chill. Prepare 4 thin pancakes.
Lay out a generous rectangle of clink film on your work top. Take the crepes and line with Parma Ham, spinach, then the mushroom and shallot paste until evenly spread. Place the fillet of beef onto this then roll carefully being careful not to overlap a double thickness - use the cling film to create a good shape by rolling and twisting the ends.
Roll your puff pastry in to a 3mm sheet then place the wrapped beef fillet on top then roll and seal with an egg wash. Once the pastry is sealed generously brush with egg yolks and chill. Roll a further sheet of puff pastry and using the lattice cutter create a puff pastry lattice.
Place this over the pre-prepared pastry Wellington and egg wash again using yolks. In the centre of each lattice place a small floret of thyme. Cooking For medium rare cook at 200c for 15 - 20 minutes.
For well done, reduce the temperature to 175c and cook more slowly for 30 - 35 minutes. Serving Once the Beef Wellington has been cooked it needs to rest for at least 10 minutes. Carve with a sharp knife.
Discard the ends which will generally be just pastry. Garnish & Sides The Beef Wellington is almost a meal in itself, but not quite. Classic sauces may include a Madeira sauce or red wine sauce.
You may wish to serve with simply steamed and butter glazed vegetables such as carrots and tender stem broccoli. Think about triple cooked beef dripping fat chips, or some beautifully buttery mash potato. Best Wine At the Black Bull we serve a lot of French Merlot (Red) with this dish.
A marriage made in heaven..
