Rosie’s Recipes

Coronation Chicken

The Story of the Original

I was very lucky and privileged to have the opportunity to attend Winkfield Place between Ascot and Windsor where Constance Spry and Rosemary Hume had set up, before the war, the residential Cordon Bleu School away from the Cordon Bleu School, Marylebone Lane, London.

It was a beautiful house in lovely grounds in the country and pupils could learn Cordon Bleu Cookery, Constance Spry flowers, Secretarial skills, dressmaking, sewing, laundry and more! Also experiencing Scottish dancing and Balls at Sandhurst. It was a brilliant life skills learning opportunity after school and many girls went on to make careers from their time there. Thanks to social media, many of us are able to contact each other through a What’s App group dedicated to Winkfield and re establish friendships, even over the years as we all have our experience at Winkfield in common. When I arrived I was no cook with no confidence! However I worked hard to achieve the Cordon Bleu Diploma and was to take my first job as a cook and teacher at Silwood Kitchen in Cape Town, South Africa and this started my career in cookery for life. One of the highlights for Rosemary Hume and Winkfield was being asked to create a menu and serve luncheon on the occasion of The Queen’s Coronation to representatives of other countries invited by Her Majesty to be present in Westminster Abbey held in The Great Hall of Westminster School, at 2pm. It was for 350 people; there would be people of many nationalities, some of whom would eat no meat. Kitchen accommodation was too small to serve hot food beyond Soup and Coffee. Rosemary Hume created the now famous Coronation Chicken This is when Coronation Chicken came into recipe history, but often shortcuts or different recipes are called by this title. The original recipe is authentic and by far the best and still loved by many and great for parties or any time. I have done it for weddings and buffet parties and when we have a family party it is always included as a favourite! There are changes I make to the original recipe, sometimes I use chicken breasts and poach for ease and quickness. And I never use

My framed tea towel from Winkfield Place

Left: The menu for the coronation dinner, created by Rosemary Hume cream as it’s great without! You can add grapes for serving and at college we served it with a rice salad mixed with green ingredients to give striking colour. As you can imagine the Luncheon was a great success, adding to this very special day of the coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 11 on 2nd June 1953.

Ingredients for Coronation Chicken: 2 roasting chickens carrots Water or a little wine to cover Bouquet Garni and salt 3 or 4 peppercorns Method: poach chicken with all ingredients, allowing just enough liquid to cover them, for about 40 minutes. Allow to cool in the liquid. When cool, remove the meat carefully and cut into bite sized pieces.

Cream of Curry Sauce: Ingredients: 1 tsp oil 50g finely chopped onion 220ml red wine 75ml water 1 bay leaf 1 tsp tomato puree salt and pepper lemon juice and slices of lemon 1-2 tbsp apricot puree 425ml mayonnaise 2 -3 tbls lightly whipped cream Sugar Method: • Cook onion gently in the oil for 3 or 4 minutes • Add curry powder and cook for another 1 - 2 minutes • Add puree, water, wine and bay leaf • Bring to the boil, add salt, sugar and pepper to taste • Add lemon and lemon juice • Simmer for 5 - 10 minutes with pan uncovered • Strain and cool • When cool gradually add the mayonnaise and apricot puree. • Adjust seasoning, adding more lemon juice if necessary • Mix with the whipped cream • Check seasoning • Gently coat the chicken in the sauce and serve.

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