Queen Elizabeth's go-to sandwich that's had 'vile things' done to it over the years
Queen Elizabeth II was crowned at Westminster Abbey in 1953, just over a year before the official end of World War II rationing
Tom Parker Bowles has delved into a simple dish that was a favourite of the late Queen Elizabeth at her Coronation 72 years ago. Despite noting that the recipe has suffered several 'vile' alterations over the years, he detailed its original version, crafted by Constance Spry and Rosemary Hume.
"I know, I know it really wouldn't be a royal cookbook without this so-called regal 'classic'," he wrote in his recently published book, Cooking & The Crown. "...Now the original version, as below, is perfectly civilised, but as the years went on, all manner of base and vile things were done to this perfectly innocent recipe, adding almonds and sultanas, lashings of turmeric and God knows what else, until it became a banana-hued, sickly-sweet aberration, the abject filling for a thousand sorry service station fillings."
The recipe in question is Poulet Reine Elizabeth, more commonly known as Coronation Chicken sandwiches. While Spry and Hume were the creative minds behind this dish, the exact origin of their inspiration remains a mystery.
Back in 1935, George V was served a dish known as Jubilee Chicken, made with mayonnaise, chicken, and curry powder. Although many speculate that this could have sparked the creation of Coronation Chicken, there's scant evidence to support this theory.
Queen Elizabeth II was crowned at Westminster Abbey in 1953, just over a year before the official end of World War II rationing, which lasted for 14 years. Back then, chicken was not a usual everyday item, making the Coronation dish a noteworthy luxury, reports the Mirror US.
For those keen to have a go at cooking like royalty, Tom shares a straightforward recipe in his book. Whilst it follows the typical method of boiling and shredding chicken, getting the sauce just right might require a touch more skill.
It might come as a surprise that the original filling contains not only chicken, mayonnaise, and curry powder, but tomato paste, red wine and several other components as well. Bay leaves, lemon juice, and the usual salt and pepper are thrown in for extra taste before the mixture is served on brown bread.
Tom noted that the crusts need to be removed to eat sandwiches the Royal way. "Remove the crusts and cut each sandwich into three fat fingers," he said
Tom's book, Cooking and The Crown, provides a detailed, step-by-step recipe and ingredient list for creating the Coronation favourite. Beyond Poulet Reine Elizabeth, the collection features over 100 recipes spanning from Queen Victoria's era through to King Charles III.
Whilst many dishes, such as 'Pommes Elizabeth' and 'Pudding au Pain et aux Cerises', appear rather extravagant, there are also plenty of more straightforward recipes you can attempt at home.
More information can be found here.
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