This Saturday King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be crowned in London, which is the best excuse in my lifetime so far to whip up a festive British-inspired coronation feast.
For those who celebrate, will you stick to the classic coronation chicken (above), a throwback to Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953? That beloved curried chicken salad with mango chutney, dried fruit and sliced almonds has become a staple sandwich filling all over Britain, and it’s fairly popular here in the United States, too. If you’ve ever enjoyed a curried chicken salad, you have the caterers of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation luncheon to thank.
Another sanctioned way to join the festivities is to follow King Charles’s suggestion and bake a quiche. Buckingham Palace’s official coronation quiche recipe calls for what at first seems like an odd combination of spinach and broad (or fava) beans. Yet at its heart it’s simply a vegetarian take on the queen of quiches, quiche Lorraine, with beans standing in for the usual bacon, and Cheddar succeeding Gruyère.
Perhaps a tea party is more your speed. You can’t go wrong with a plate (or a silver tray, to be really posh) of homemade scones, clotted cream, strawberry jam and slices of blueberry, almond and lemon tea cake, along with pots of Darjeeling. It’s all very refined.
Even if the coronation has no dominion over your menu planning, you will still need to make dinner. Sarah DiGregorio is here to help with her creamy spinach-artichoke chicken stew. Inspired by spinach-artichoke dip (which could also be rather nice for a coronation party), this easy dish comes together quickly thanks to jarred marinated artichoke hearts and frozen spinach, with fresh dill and scallions providing bright, herbal notes that contrast with the cream cheese in the sauce. If you have a slow-cooker, Sarah’s also got a low-and-slow version for you.
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The Cure for a Slumping Crust
To save your quiche (and any future single-crust pies) from a slumping crust, stick your unfilled, dough-lined pie plate in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before blind baking. A frozen crust is far less likely to slide down as it bakes.
