The ultimate guide to coronation cook-off celebrations

ADVERTISEMENT

With the coronation ceremony on Saturday 6 May right around the corner, the official coronation website has released a toolkit with recipes to get inspired for your lunches, street parties and celebrations. 

Unveiling recipes is apparently now a new tradition. 

So, cooking utensils at the ready... Here are three royal recipes to make sure the weekend stays tasty.

Coronation aubergine

As you may know, King Charles III is a fervent defender of organic farming and sustainable food. So it's hardly surprising that some of the official dishes coincide with his values. The Buckingham Palace selection includes several vegetarian choices, starting with the coronation quiche, of course, but also the coronation aubergine. 

The recipe has been cooked up by Nadiya Hussain, winner of The Great British Bake Off 2015, author of several bestselling books, and also known for taking action against food waste.

This recipe, and in particular the inclusion of curry sauce, would have been inspired by the "poulet reine Elisabeth" - now known as "the coronation chicken", created by Le Cordon Bleu London and served at the Coronation Lunch of Queen Elisabeth II in 1953.

"Aubergines often feature as a side dish when served at a table for dinner, but not here. We are taking this delicious aubergine, coating it with flavour, frying till tender and then drizzling over the simplest coronation dressing. It’s like dinner at my mum’s collided with my lunches at school to create this beauty," says Hussain.

Ingredients :

• 225ml of olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, grated
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large aubergines, sliced into 1cm thick slices (about 600g)

For the dressing

• 200g Greek yoghurt
• 2 teaspoons of curry powder
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 2 tablespoons of mango chutney, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons whole milk

To serve

• A small handful of crispy fried onions
• A small handful of raisins
• A small handful of fresh coriander, thinly sliced

Method

1. Start by putting the oil in a bowl with the minced garlic, onion, paprika and salt.
2. Mix really well and set aside with a pastry brush.
3. Pop the aubergines onto a tray (they can overlap, that is fine). Take the oil mixture and brush the aubergine slices generously with the oil on both sides till you have finished all the mixture. Set aside.
4. Put one large or two small (if you have them) griddle pan(s) onto a medium heat (these are great on the barbecue, too, FYI).
5. Griddle in batches on both sides. They take approx. 2 minutes on each side.
6. You will know they are ready when the flesh looks saturated, less spongy and softer. Pop onto a plate, overlapping, ready to serve.
7. Make the dressing by combining the yoghurt, curry powder, garlic, salt and mango chutney and giving it all a really good mix. Add a few tablespoons of whole milk to loosen the mixture just a little.
8. Drizzle the dressing all over the top of the aubergine, saving the rest.
9. To serve on the side. Sprinkle with fried onions, raisins and coriander.

Coronation crown scones

"These scones are perfect for celebrating, as they are each shaped into crowns!" explains Martha Collison, a British baker who rose to fame after competing as The Great British Bake Off's youngest ever contestant.

"Garnish with gold leaf or lustre spray if you’re feeling luxurious. They are flavoured with King Charles’ favourite tea: Darjeeling sweetened with honey."  

Ingredients

• 160ml milk
• 1 Darjeeling teabag (or 1tsp loose-leaf tea)
• 15g of honey
• 300g of self-raising flour
• 75g butter, cold and cubed
• 25g caster sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• Clotted cream
• Strawberry jam

Method

1. Place the teabag (or loose-leaf tea) into a small saucepan and pour over the milk. Heat gently, until the mixture is steaming, then turn off the heat and leave the tea to steep for 30 minutes. Remove the teabag or strain the milk into a small jug, then add the honey and mix well.

2. Preheat the oven to 180oC/160oC fan and line a baking tray with baking parchment.

3. Place the flour into a large bowl and add the cubes of butter. Rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips until it is well combined and roughly resembles breadcrumbs – it is ok to be able to see a few small pieces of butter as this will create a flaky texture.

ADVERTISEMENT

4. Gradually pour the infused milk and honey mixture into the centre of the well, stirring using a round bladed knife. A soft, rough dough should form. You may need to add a little more milk to mop up any excess flour. Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly to smooth out the dough and bring it together into a ball.

5. Gently roll the dough out to a thickness of around 3 cm. Reroll the remaining dough, taking care not to handle the dough too much, and punch out more scones – you should get 10 in total.

6. Use a pair of scissors to snip small triangles in the top of the dough from the outside in, and press them upwards to form a crown-like ring around the scone. You need to push the scissors slightly into the scone to create a point that stands proud.

7. Chill the scones for 1 hour to firm up (if you skip this, they won’t hold their shape). Arrange the scones on a baking tray, then brush the tops and crown points with a little egg wash.

8. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until risen and golden brown. Serve warm from the oven, split in two, with clotted cream and strawberry jam.

ADVERTISEMENT

Coronation roast rack of lamb with Asian-style marinade

If you are a diligent reader of Euronews Culture, then you've probably heard of Ken Hom, Chinese-American chef, author and TV cooking show presenter. His cuisine is an invitation to discover Chinese food but with seasonal British products. 

Talking to the BBC about the recipe, the celebrity chef said: "I chose this dish for a number of reasons, one is to promote British lamb. The recipe represents the hallmark of modern Great Britain. Serve this lamb with roast potatoes and a green salad." 

Ingredients

• Two 750g (1-lb) racks of British lamb, trimmed of excess fat
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons of peanut oil

Marinade

• 2 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon of roasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons of roasted sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of dark soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of finely chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon of coarse sea salt
• 3 tablespoons of dry sage
• 120ml of homemade or store brought chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons of sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons of sesame paste or peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons of butter

Method

ADVERTISEMENT

1. Season each rack of lamb with salt and pepper. Now brown each rack of lamb in a non-stick pan with peanut oil for 5 minutes, turning frequently. Allow the lamb to cool.
2. Mix the marinade ingredients in a small bowl and rub the mixture on the racks with a rubber spatula. Marinate for 1 hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 230c (450 degrees, Gas Mark 8). Place the lamb racks in a roasting pan. Moisten the fresh or dry sage leaves with some water and scatter them over the lamb racks. Reduce the heat to 200c (400 degrees, Gas Mark 6) cover the lamb racks with foil, and roast for 30 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes if you want a more browned and crisp look.
4. Remove the lamb to a cutting board and allow the racks to rest for 20 minutes.
5. Skim off the fat from the roasting pan, add the chicken stock, and deglaze over a burner, scraping to remove the flavourful bits. Add the sesame oil, sesame paste, and butter to the sauce and mix thoroughly.
6. Carve the lamb racks, arrange them on a serving platter, and serve with the sauce.

Bon appétit!