Coronation chicken
When Queen Elizabeth came to the throne in 1953 she was given this dish at her banquet. It was created by Constance Spry and Rosemary Hume, both principals of the Cordon Bleu school at the time. We have used it in salads over crisp Baby Gem leaves and finely chopped peppers and also in sandwiches between two slices of nutty multigrain bread.
Serves 6
Medium curry powder
600g roast chicken breast
200g carmargue red rice
6 little gem lettuce heads
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 shallots
150g dark raisins
175ml apple juice
75g flaked coconut
150g yoghurt
150g mayonnaise
1/2 lemon
1 red onion
5cm fresh ginger
150g passata
1tbs vegetable oil
Salt
Pepper
Fresh coriander
1 small saucepan
Wooden spoon
Sharp kitchen knife
Lemon juicer
Salad Platter
Method:
Scale all ingredients.
Wash and dry lettuce and keep in fridge.
Finely dice red and yellow peppers discarding seeds.
Slice shallot into thin strips.
Soak raisins in apple juice.
Toast coconut in oven for 5 minutes until it starts to turn golden brown.
Finely dice red onion.
Peel and grate ginger.
Shred roast chicken breast.
Make the curry sauce. Fry the red onion in the vegetable oil in a small pan for a few minutes until it starts to soften. Add curry powder, ginger, passata in a pan and cook gently for 10 minutes until flavours have been released and has reduced to a thick paste – set aside to cool.
Once cooled stir in yoghurt, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Stir and adjust seasoning.
Cook the rice in plenty of lightly salted water until tender. Drain and cool.
Once the sauce has cooled coat the chicken with it.
Drain the raisins.
Lay the baby gem leaves face up on a flat salad plate. Scatter with the red rice and diced shallots. Next place the dressed chicken over the salad bed you have made. Add the colourful diced peppers, the soaked raisins and finish with the toasted coconut and coriander leaves as garnish.
You can serve this salad immediately or keep it covered in the fridge for the afternoon to serve for a supper. The Chicken will keep happily once dressed for 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge if you want to prepare in advance.
