CHEF and blogger Paul James writes for our paper.

A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by BBC Midlands Today to film a dish for ‘The King’s Coronation’ – of course I was delighted.

They wanted me to cook the Late Queen’s original version of the dish especially created for her coronation in 1953, which I did alongside cauliflower rice and buttered slices of potato, I even made canapes and a vegan/vegetarian version ‘Coronation Chickpea’.

All of this was with the help of my lovely niece Samantha, who became my trusted sous chef for a few hours.

But I wanted to bring the dish forward 70 years, but still keep in tradition with the original recipe as best as I could.

I mean, when Queen Elizabeth II had her official coronation in 1953, a brand-new dish was invented and served for the celebratory luncheon.

It was first known as Poulet Reine Elizabeth, and was originally made with ‘young roasting chickens, water and a little wine to cover carrot, a bouquet garni, salt, peppercorns and a cream of curry sauce’.

So with my 2023 version, which I doubt very much King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be shouting down to the kitchen:

“Oi turn that quiche off and ditch the tacos, we’re scoffing Paul’s Ballotine of Chicken instead.”

I will give you lovely readers my creation for ‘The King’s Coronation’ Ballotine of Chicken with Coronation Curry Sauce.

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Ballotine Chicken

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts halved lengthwise

1tsp of mild curry paste

20ml vegetable oil

4 kaffir lime leaves, cut into slices

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Kings Coronation Curry sauce

Ingredients

2tbsp curry paste

1tbsp minced ginger

2tbsp mango chutney

1 lime, juiced

4tbsp Greek yogurt

3tbsps of creme fraiche

Crushed almonds

Handful of coriander chopped

50ml mango puree dressing

200ml coconut milk

1 onion finely chopped

1 clove of garlic finely minced

Garnish

Fresh thyme and coriander

1 apple, cut into small batons

Crushed almonds

Method for chicken ballotoine

1. In a frying pan over medium heat, cook out 1 tsp of mild curry paste and kaffir lime leaves in the vegetable oil until fragrant.

2. Leave to cool and add in the chicken

3. Leave to marinate for 20 minutes. Place the marinated chicken on a double layer of clingfilm and roll into a cylinder shape, securing each end with a knot. Poach in a large saucepan of simmering water until a core temperature of 75°C is achieved and fully cooked, this should take about 20 minutes.

4. Remove the chicken from the liquid, set aside to cool.

5. Method for Coronation Curry sauce

6. In a frying pan, heat the oil, sweat the onion and garlic over medium heat until softened, add the coconut milk bring to a boil.

7. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and set aside to cool.

8. Add the lime peel, Add lime juice,

9. Add Greek yogurt and crème fraîche and mango purée.

10. Season to taste