The winner of this year’s MasterChef: The Professionals, Alex Webb from Dunmow, is hoping to raise the community’s spirits through food during this lockdown.
The Square 1 restaurant head chef - also known as Chef Webb - is sharing this recipe which gives a takeaway taste some readers might be missing, but can be made at home.
It's for buttermilk fried chicken with a grilled sesame asparagus salad.
There will be further recipes in the weeks ahead.
If you make the recipe, take some pictures of your dish and show them online, tagging in @chefwebb1 so Alex can pick a favourite.
Recipe of the week
For 2
Takeaway from home.
Buttermilk fried chicken with a grilled sesame asparagus salad:
For the chicken:
Boneless chicken thighs skin off x4
Buttermilk x 250ml
Plain flour x 2 heap tsp
Paprika x1 tsp
Chilli powder x 1 tsp
A pinch of salt and pepper
Sunflower oil/ or any cheap oil 200g
Take the chicken, season with salt over the chicken.
In a a bowl lightly coat the chicken with the flour, add the buttermilk and mix with your hands, so it’s covered all over. Leave for 15-20 mins to marinate.
In a separate bowl take the flour, paprika, chilli powder and salt and pepper, mix together.
Take one piece of chicken and add one thigh at a time to the flour mixture. Coat all over the chicken and rub with your hands so it gets a nice crumbly effect.
Take a frying pan and cover the pan with cooking oil so the chicken can shallow fry. Be careful not to burn yourself!
Once the oil has heated up add the chicken and fry for 2-3 minutes per side.
Once golden brown, move to a baking tray. Make sure you dry off any excess oil.
Cook in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 180-200C depending on the size of your chicken thighs.
For the salad:
Asparagus x 1 packet
Soya sauce x 50g
Sesame oil x50g
Sesame seeds x 1 pinch
Honey x50g
Garlic x 1 clove
Coriander/parsley x a light sprinkle
Cut the ends of the asparagus and boil for 2-3 in salted water.
Take the garlic and chop or crush. Add all the wet ingredients to the garlic.
Add the cooked asparagus and marinate.
Place the grill pan on, or a pan!
Sear the asparagus and keep adding some of the soy marinade to the pan so it goes sticky!
To serve add your crispy KFC-style chicken to a plate, with the grilled asparagus salad to one side, and sprinkle over your sesame seeds!
Enjoy!
Alex said: "Make sure you take pictures and tag me in so I can pick a favourite @chefwebb1
"Tune in for next week’s lockdown recipe so I can share my favourite. Alex x "
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