Alex Webb -Garlic & Lemon Baked Lettuce, Chorizo, Pancetta & White Bean Cassoulet, Grilled Chicken Breast
Alex Webb
Chef Alex webb
Alex Webb a young culinary star and a chef I’m over the moon to be writing about here for Foodie Book Clubs Lockdown Lunches.
Oh, and did I forget to mention that Alex is MasterChef the Professionals champion 2020?
Must have slipped my mind.
Twenty-five-year-old Alex or Webby to his friends, (I get to call him Chef Webb) came first out of 32 professional chefs with a final menu of a starter of Scallops Ceviche with Artichoke and Pickled Pear. Main course was Pan Seared Trout with lots of parsnip sides, Mussels and aviar with a mini fish pie and to finish it all off, a dessert of white chocolate with a passion fruit dome, chocolate parfait and prosecco ice cream.
Oh my!
I can see exactly why this was a winning dish and it’s easy to see where Alex
Learnt his skills.
Starting his training at Westminster Kingsway College in London, he went on to work at The Savoy Hotel in London, moving on to Michelin stared Hélène Darroze, Heston Dinner, Roux at Parliament Square, The Frog in Hoxton, and now head chef at Square 1 restaurant where it all began for Alex as a young boy of 14 where he started as a pot wash.
Born in Essex, Alex rates fellow Essex man Jamie Oliver as one of his favourite chefs, but says that he loves cooking the classics with a particular love of French and experimenting with Asian cuisine and flavours.
Alex said that walking into the MasterChef kitchen for the first time was a little nerve-wracking, but it didn’t last long. Meeting the judges during the skills test and chatting with them put him at ease, and it was obvious that they liked what they saw.
Judge, Michelin-starred Marcus Wareing said: "We have seen a young chef come of age. He is a brilliant young chef, I love his thirst for knowledge, and he has cooked beyond his years. MasterChef is about the next generation and for me as a chef I see Alex as the future."
Judge Galetti added: "There is a bit of Alex's youth which comes through in his cooking which makes it very different and that is something I have really enjoyed."
What did Alex say about his MasterChef Professionals win?
“It is the best feeling I have ever had in my life. To walk away with the trophy is incredible. I am so proud. I really worth it, and all the blood, sweat and tears and sleepless night paid off.” Said Alex
What about his future plans?
“I will continue to work in the restaurant I do now, and I would like to keep pushing myself” He says; “Then hopefully, one day, I will be able to achieve my big dream of owning a restaurant”
Well, of course, I’m sure if Alex had known he was going to cook live for Foodie Book Clubs Lockdown Lunches he would have listed this as one of his achievements.
Using pantry led ingredients, Alex cook for us Garlic & Lemon Baked Lettuce, Chorizo, Pancetta & White Bean Cassoulet, Grilled Chicken Breast (check out the full recipe below) and if you couldn’t make it to the live cookery don’t let that put you off.
Watch it again on Foodie Book Clubs YouTube channel along with lots of other great chefs who have gifted us their time.
Garlic & Lemon Baked Lettuce, Chorizo, Pancetta & White Bean Cassoulet, Grilled Chicken Breast
Garlic & Lemon Baked Lettuce, Chorizo, Pancetta & White Bean Cassoulet, Grilled Chicken Breast
Ingredients
Lettuce
Garlic x 1 clove - Chopped finely
Lemon x 1 - Juice & rind
Romaine lettuce x1
Unsalted Butter 150g - Softened to room temperature, but not melted
Chives and parsley x 50g each-chopped
Parmesan x 100g - finely grated
Chicken
Chicken breast-skin on x 2
Olive Oil 50g.
Pinch of Salt
Unsalted butter x 100g
White Bean Cassoulet
Mixed white beans x 2 tins
Chorizo sausage 150g - chopped into small pieces
Pancetta 2-3 strips
Butter x 100g
Chicken stock 500ml
Garlic x 1 clove - Chopped finely
Sherry vinegar x 50ml
Onion x 100g chopped
Celery x 100g chopped
Chili Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Pinch of salt
Small Chicory - Washed and leaves slice down the middle
Method
Lettuce
Wash the lettuce, remove the outer leaves and leave to drain and dry.
Cut the lettuce lengthways so you have 4 pieces.
Put the softened butter in a bowl, add 1 clove of the chopped garlic, lemon zest and a little of the lemon juice, herbs, salt and mix well together.
Spread the prepared butter on the cut sides of the lettuce and place on a baking tray, butter side up, ready for the grill - set it aside until the chicken is in the oven to cook.
Place your lettuce into a hot oven (180c) for around 5 mins to melt the butter and char the top a little
Once removed from the oven, sprinkle over the grated parmesan to let it melt into the lettuce while the lettuce is still hot
Chicken
Heat the oven to 180c
Add the olive oil to a non-stick frying pan.
Season the skin of the chicken breast with salt and, placing the chicken in the hot pan skin down, cook on a medium heat for a couple of minutes until brown.
Turn the chicken over and cook for a couple of minutes more .
Add a clove of chopped garlic and thyme to the pan.
Transfer the chicken breasts to an oven tray (skins side up) and put nobs of butter onto the skin
Place the tray into the oven at 180c for 15 mins - until cooked all the way through and piping hot in the middle.
Once cooked, remove from the oven.
Slice to serve
Heat up a separate frying pan, and when hot, add the slices of pancetta and cook until crispy.
White Bean Cassoulet
Place a medium non-stick pan onto a medium heat, add a little oil and allow to heat up .
Add the chopped onion, celery, garlic , pinch of salt and cook slowly so the onion becomes soft and translucent.
Once the onions and celery are cooked, add the diced chorizo and cook on a medium heat until it’s almost crispy.
Wash and drain the white beans then add to the pan along with the chicken stock and sherry vinegar and 50g of the butter.
Bring the beans to the boil, season with salt and chilli powder
Add the butter and then reduce the heat to a very low simmer.
Continue to simmer until the cassoulet goes creamy and the liquid is almost reduced, stirring occasionally.
At the end of cooking mix in the rest of the butter and the herbs to finish.
To Serve
Place the white bean cassoulet, into the middle of a large serving plate.
Add the sliced chicken breast into the middle of the beans and place the lettuce around.
Place the chicory leaves and the crispy pancetta around and in the finished dish
Enjoy
Ready To Eat
