Coronation Chicken

Coronation Chicken goes back to the year 1953 when 'Poulet Reine Elizabeth' was first created by Le Cordon Bleu London to be served at the Coronation Luncheon for Queen Elizabeth II. It remains a favourite today both as a hearty summer salad and a sandwich filling.

This recipe for curry mayonnaise was given to me many years ago by my great aunt Catherine and it forms the basis of how I make this dish. Coronation chicken needs cooked chicken so you can either braise some chicken fillets ahead of time or use chicken left over from your Sunday roast. Add some seedless white grapes or chopped dried apricots for texture and serve on a bed of crisp lettuce. Garnish with chopped coriander, flaked almonds or cashew nuts.

25g unsalted butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

1½ tbsp medium curry powder

250ml chicken stock

1 tsp tomato puree

juice of ½ lemon

2 tbsp apricot jam

150-200ml mayonnaise

3 tbsp single cream

Heat the butter in a saucepan, add the chopped onion and cook very gently with the lid on (this will stop it browning). When it's soft, stir in the curry powder and cook for a few minutes to bring out the flavour.

Add the stock, tomato puree, lemon juice, and apricot jam and simmer for five minutes. Strain into a jug, pushing through all the liquid with a spoon, and leave until cold.

Blend the curry mixture with the mayonnaise and single cream and store in a covered jar in the fridge.

It will keep for 2-3 weeks.

Simple Carrot Salad

My mother used to make this colourful carrot salad when we were small. It's so simple, is kid-friendly and is a great side dish for a family summer gathering. She grated carrot and beetroot into a bowl, added a few raisins, salt and pepper and some lemon juice and that was it! I've left out the beetroot and given it a Middle Eastern flavour with ground cumin, cinnamon and mint. For a more substantial dish, add some chickpeas and crumbled feta cheese.

500g carrots, coarsely grated

1 shallot or 2 spring onions, finely sliced

50g raisins

50g flaked almonds

25g mint leaves, washed and sliced

1 tbsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground or 1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground cinnamon

zest and juice of 1-2 lemons

sea salt

First of all, toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan and then grind in a pestle and mortar. Soak the raisins in a cup of hot water for about 10 minutes so that they plump up.

Put all the ingredients into a large bowl and sprinkle in a small amount of sea salt. Give it a good stir and add the zest and juice of a lemon.

Mix again and put it into the fridge for an hour to let the flavours mingle. Taste before serving and add more lemon juice if needed.

Fresh Apricot Jam

Apricots are in season in July and August and this wonderful homemade jam is the perfect way to preserve them. It is very quick to make and is delicious with scones, as a filling for a sponge cake or stirred into yoghurt. And if you thin the jam with a tablespoon of boiling water, it can also be used as a glaze for fruit tarts or to stick marzipan to a cake. This recipe makes about 5 jars.

1 kg fresh apricots – washed

1 kg granulated sugar

juice of 1 lemon

Wash your jam jars in hot soapy water, rinse and place in a low oven for about 10 minutes or until they are dry.

Have a look at 'all you need to know about making jam' to learn about testing for set and tips on sterilising and filling the jars.

Put a plate in the freezer.

Halve the apricots, remove the stones and put the apricots into a preserving pan with the lemon juice. Simmer gently until soft.

Add the sugar to the pan and heat slowly until dissolved. Then turn the heat up and bring to a rolling boil for 10-12 minutes. If you think it might be catching on the bottom, give it a stir but be careful, as the jam will be very hot.

Remove your plate from the freezer and test for set by putting a small amount of the jam on to the cold plate. Push your finger across it and if it wrinkles, it is ready. If not, give it another five minutes and then test again. When you have a set, remove the pan from the heat and stir in a knob of butter. This will get rid of any scum that has formed.

Leave to cool slightly before putting into warm sterilised jars.

This is also an essential ingredient for my curry mayonnaise which I use to make coronation chicken.