From twist on Coronation chicken to Prince Louis-approved salad – here are Alex James’ tips for perfect day of feasting
FOOD was still rationed in 1953 when Coronation chicken, my all-time favourite recipe, was invented by British food pioneer Constance Spry.
There are many more high-quality ingredients available now and it is possible to eat like the King even if you’re on a tight budget.
Here I’ve taken some of the royals’ favourite ingredients and used them as the basis for a simple, cost-effective and delicious way to feed a crowd.
There’s really nothing that I enjoy more than gathering friends and family for a special occasion – and a Coronation street party is the perfect excuse.
From a modern twist on Coronation chicken to a Prince Louis-approved salad, here are my top tips for the perfect day of feasting.
The kids will love to help so get them involved too – I roped in mine, Arte and Beatrix . . .
BIG MAJ WITH CHEESE
Makes 4
YOU NEED:
- 4 beef steak burgers
- Sliced Cheddar or crumbled blue cheese
- 6 crumpet thins
- 1 bag of green salad
- 8 rashers of bacon, fried, or servings of Coronation beef
- 4 eggs, fried
- Sauces, to serve
METHOD: If you’ve seen the film Pulp Fiction you’ll know a Big Mac in Paris is called a “Royale with cheese”.
I feel a British take on the classic is called for on Coronation Day.
The skinny-style crumpets now widely available in supermarkets are brilliant at soaking up precious juices and give the all-American burger a homespun twist.
A juicy steak and blue cheese is known as a “steakation sandwich” and around here is a surefire crowd pleaser.
Burgers, or any kind of bun with a hot filling, are a very effective way to feed a crowd.
Just grill beef steak burgers to packet instructions or fire up the BBQ – weather permitting.
Fry your bacon rashers and allow one fried egg per head.
Now assemble your Big Maj.
Start with one buttered and halved crumpet and layer in your perfectly cooked burger, followed by another crumpet half to soak up the juices.
Top this with your fried egg, bacon rasher or, if you are feeling decadent, Coronation beef slices.
Add sauce and a bit of green salad for crunch.
You’ll need to put your drink down to tackle one of these bad boys, though.
QUEEN’S BEANS
Serves 10
YOU NEED:
- 500g dried cannellini beans
- Tomatoes, sliced
- 70ml single cream
- Chopped rosemary, parsley, chives or basil to taste
- Salt, to season
METHOD: Queen Camilla once divulged her favourite snack was the very simple dish of Heinz baked beans on toast.
Me too.
I’ve been trying for years to beat Heinz’s recipe and I think this is a strong contender, with a posh twist.
Cannellini beans with cream is cheap, fantastic, nutritious and simple and can be served hot or cold, making it perfect for a buffet.
Soak a packet of cannellini beans overnight then wash them thoroughly.
Put them in a pan, add enough water to cover and bring to the boil.
They can take an hour or two to cook and you need to keep topping up the water so they are just covered.
When they are done, add plenty of single cream and season.
Add a few slices of tomatoes and a sprinkle of finely chopped herbs of your choosing.
Chives will improve pretty much anything.
UNBEETABLE SALAD
Serves 6
YOU NEED:
- 5 beetroots
- 4 oranges
- Walnuts
- For the dressing:
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- Juice from 1 orange
- Generous pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp honey
METHOD: Everyone’s favourite cheeky chappy, Prince Louis, is a big beetroot fan, according to his mum.
This classic salad has a retro feel but the rich colours of the ingredients will add magisterial grandeur to any buffet.
It’s cost-effective, too, and a good way to trick kids into eating vegetables.
Remove the leaves and cook the beetroots by boiling them in their skins until you can penetrate them easily with a sharp knife.
Allow them to cool, rub off the skins then trim them into bite-size chunks.
Peel and slice your oranges and combine with the beets.
Make a simple dressing by mixing 5tbsp virgin olive oil, the juice from one of the oranges, a good pinch of salt and pepper and a good spoon of honey along with a pinch of ground cinnamon, the classic Coronation spice.
The flavours connect wonderfully and it’s good to go as it is.
But if you want to sprinkle on a handful of walnuts and the leaves from the beetroot that’ll give it a nice cheffy touch.
CORONATION BEEF
Serves up to ten
YOU NEED:
For the beef:
- 1.4kg beef roasting joint
- 50g blue cheese of your choosing
- Handful of fresh chives, finely chopped
For the dressing:
- 4 level tbsp horseradish sauce
- 2 tbsp double cream
- 2 dessert spoons of mustard
METHOD: One of the great things about Coronation chicken is that it can be made with a few store-cupboard staples and leftover chicken.
I’ve designed this around leftover roast beef and something which I know His Majesty is passionate about – cheese.
Roast beef is emblematic of Great Britain.
Our cattle breeds have shaped the eating habits of the world and our blue cheeses have been fabled, far and wide, for centuries.
The bold flavours of blue cheese connect perfectly with the heft of beef.
All you need to set them off is a horseradish and mustard dressing.
After roasting using package instructions, slice the beef thinly and lay out on a suitably festive platter.
Then sprinkle on your cheese and pour on the dressing.
Finely chopped chives will add a punch of zest and colour too.
Like Coronation chicken, it’s very simple but makes a great buffet centrepiece – and also a killer sandwich filling.
HIS EGG-CELENCY TWO WAYS
Serves 8
YOU NEED:
- For the baked eggs:
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp cream
- 1 knob butter
- Asparagus, cooked
- Chopped herbs, either chives or parsley
- For the hard-boiled eggs:
- 6 eggs
- 1 tsp curry powder
- Dollop of mayonnaise
METHOD: Someone who used to work for the now King told me he liked to have three boiled eggs brought to the table for breakfast.
He would crack them all open then decide which one was just right.
I agree, perfect done-ness and the variety of choice is vital for maximum egg enjoyment.
This way of cooking eggs allows for perfection every time and also allows you to add cream, which makes them even nicer.
Put a ramekin in a moderate oven (180C / 170C fan / 350F) with a knob of butter.
When the butter starts to foam, add 2 eggs and a teaspoon of cream.
Keep checking until they are exactly how you like the, I go for about 3 mins 35 secs.
Season at the table and serve with chopped herbs and soldiers of your choice.
Toast is the classic dipper but skinny chips, asparagus or green beans all work well, anything soldier-shaped is fair game.
But no buffet is complete without hard-boiled eggs.
Simmer for ten minutes before cooling and peeling.
Halve the boiled eggs, scooping out the yolks, mashing and mixing with a little mayo and curry powder.
Then reload the mixture back into the egg-white “boat”.
PIMM’S ROYAL JELLY
Serves 8
YOU NEED:
- 570ml Pimm’s
- 2 x 135g raspberry jelly, broken up into cubes
- 570ml boiling water
- 100g strawberries
- 100g blueberries
- Whipped cream, to serve
METHOD: Pimm’s, which was originally promoted as a health drink in 1840s London, is a favourite of the King’s.
At least I saw him tucking into one once, with a big old smile on his face.
It makes a nice addition to the grown-ups’ jelly.
Mix your cubes with the boiling water and stir until it dissolves.
Top up with a good slosh of your Pimm’s then allow the mixture to cool.
Finely chop up half of the strawberries and add them in before bringing out all that funky old glassware your great-aunt Sylvia left you.
Pour the mixture in, then pop it in the fridge for around four hours to set.
When you are ready to serve, top with whipped cream and a few blueberries for the full red, white and blue effect.
To make a kids’ friendly alternative, simply replace the Pimm’s with cold water.
Mix what is left of your Pimm’s with lemonade and add fresh fruit for a King-approved tipple.