Gawd Bless Her (and Coronation Chicken)
Today in the Commonwealth we celebrated The Queen’s Official Birthday. The Queen’s real birthday is on 21st April but this is a day to mark her coronation to the throne and a day of pageantry and celebration for our Royal Family, armed forces and anyone who wants to revel in a bit of national pride.
I’m not much of a monarchist and about as likely to put my hand on my heart when the national anthem plays as John Lydon, but something very strange hit me during the 2003 celebrations of The Queen’s 50th anniversary, even stranger than Bryan May’s guitar solo on top of Buckingham Palace. The thing was, I actually buy into this stuff! I love the fact that The Queen is adored by millions of Britons. That Australia, who by all rights should be a republic, still voted to retain her as head of state. That Fiji, after more than 20 years of independence, still celebrate her birthday. Despite all of her offspring’s (and husband’s) misdemeanours she remains a talisman of Britishness and, for me, Englishness. I’ll leave it to Stephen and Hugh to sum up what it means to be English.
Coronation Chicken was a dish created in 1953 for The Queen’s coronation by Rosemary Hume and subsequently published in her, and Constance Spry’s, cookery book. The recipe has been changed and adapted over the years but this is quite a faithful version of Hume’s original.
- To poach the chicken
- 4 chicken breasts
- 500ml chicken stock
- 1½” piece of fresh ginger
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 star anise
Slice the ginger, crush the garlic clove and add these to the stock along with the peppercorns and star anise. Bring to the boil, add the chicken breasts and simmer for 10 minutes or until cooked. Take off the heat and allow to cool before straining and reserving the stock.
- For the Coronation ‘Sauce’
- 1 small onion
- 2 tsp British curry powder
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 125ml red wine
- 125ml reserved chicken stock
- 2 tbsp apricot jam
- 200ml mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp whipped cream
Finely chop the onion and sweat it off in a pan for a few minutes, add the curry powder and cook it out for a minute or so. Add the tomato purée and similarly cook it out for a further minute before pouring in the red wine and stock. Season with salt and simmer for 10 minutes after which time remove from the heat and stir in the apricot jam. Strain well through a sieve, reserve the gravy and allow to cool. Note to self: This gravy is just wonderful and has great potential for other dishes.
In a separate bowl begin to slowly mix the curry gravy with the mayonnaise until you have a thick sauce, then stir in the whipped cream before coating the chicken. A more modern day version of Coronation Chicken would contain diced apples, walnuts and sultanas. This seems to be frowned upon by many food writers but I see no problem with it. I’ve had many such Coronation Chicken sandwiches from the best bakers/sandwich shop owners in the whole of Lancashire! (there really has to be a post on the back of a claim like that) However, on this occasion I’ve gone without.
I’ve served it in Cos lettuce leaves on a bed of a basmati rice salad containing orange bell pepper, spring onions, cucumber and coriander leaves with a simple oil & lemon dressing.
God save The Queen,
GDave
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GDave,
I could eat that now, excellent nosh. By the way perhaps I ought to tell you I’ve got a bit of a thing about Hugh Laurie, along with millions of other women since House…. the multi-talented Hugh would be a welcome guest at my ‘bring your own plate’ feast (note to Melissa…. we’ve covered this before and it still sounds like a fabulous idea!) and we will dine on your Coronation Chicken.
Cid
Comment by Cid − on Jun 14, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Cid,
Hugh is amazing! ‘A Bit of Fry and Laurie’ remains one of my favourite comedy shows ever made. Sadly enough I could quote you most of the sketches. House is a big favourite too, it’s great to see him making a global splash. Put me down as a ‘yes’ for your feast!
GDave
Comment by greedydave − on Jun 14, 2009 at 4:55 pm
GDave,
Sounds like a great recipe, I’ve had some god awful versions of this in my time and it’s typical of a dish which has lost much of its original ’soul’ through so many interpretations.
Good work!
Miles
Comment by Miles − on Jun 14, 2009 at 8:24 pm
GD,
Your place at the table was a foregone conclusion… apart from cooking your excellent coronation chicken, you can entertain us all with your Fry and Laurie sketches while I dish out the coffee and macaron. More of a worrying fact is Miles’ new camera lens…. if he gets too close for comfort, I’ll smear his lens with some reserved coronation sauce…. if that fails I’ll whip out my bees wax handcream, that ought to do it, or at least create a sepia toned soft focus
Cid
p.s. did you see Hugh interviewed recently by Ross? He said if Fry agreed to appear on House, he’d want to play a character with a double limp
Comment by Cid − on Jun 14, 2009 at 8:38 pm
Miles,
I’ve tampered with the original very little. The flavoured stock for the chicken and using a British curry powder, (which makes perfect sense) but The Queen told me that’s how she likes it.
GDave
Comment by greedydave − on Jun 15, 2009 at 12:14 am
Cid,
It all reminds me of Alan Partridge taking his own ‘big plate’ to an all-you-can-eat buffet. I didn’t see that specific interview, but I enjoyed hearing Stephen Fry telling of how he met up with Hugh for lunch in LA. Hugh remains in character between takes, so he had to endure lunch with his oldest friend, and Cambridge Footlights compatriot, talking in a US accent. Both men should be canonised.
GDave
Comment by greedydave − on Jun 15, 2009 at 12:25 am
Hi all – very funny video.
I’m with Cid, I’d like to bring my cobalt blue vintage fiesta plate and join you all for this wonderful looking coronation chicken. I promise to be on my best behavior and keep my elbows off the table. I’ll bring a bottle of “approachable” wine. The strawberries and cream sound delightful, as does this Hugh fellow.
US accent? There is no US accent.
GDave, your photos are wonderful. You’re taking to this blogging thing like a duck to water.
Melissa
Comment by Melissa − on Jun 15, 2009 at 1:55 am
Melissa,
This is starting to sound like a great picnic and I think you’ll have the finest plate of all. Don’t overspend on the wine, I’m very cheap to keep.
I understand what you mean about there being no US accent. Regional accents vary wildly here as they do there. There’s a post in its own right there. Thanks again for your kind words.
GDave
Comment by greedydave − on Jun 15, 2009 at 1:44 pm