Having trained at the Savoy Hotel in London, chef Darren McGrady moved to the Royal Kitchen at Buckingham Palace in 1982. There, he cooked for the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh for more than a decade, and travelled around the world with the royal family.
Darren became private chef to Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1993, taking care of the menus for her and sons, William and Harry, until her death four years later.
He knew only too well of Charles’ love of foraging and desire for organic food.
Darren also recalled: ‘Prince Philip came into the kitchen and there were two hampers. He said, “Oh, is this a Harrods hamper?” I said, “No, your highness, this is a hamper the Prince of Wales brought with him”. Philip looked puzzled, so I opened it up and said, “It’s all organic.” And Philip said, “Oh, bloody organic!”, shook his head and walked out.’
As a royal chef, Darren McGrady knew exactly how to please a princely palate – and the answer is far simpler than you may think. The secret to satisfying King Charles’ taste buds is serving organic eggs and cheese – and nothing too spicy.
He is also wild about mushrooms and loves nothing better than foraging for his own. Thrifty Charles even sautées the wild mushrooms he picks from Balmoral and freezes them for later use.
And now Darren, who was personal chef to Queen Elizabeth II, Diana, Princess of Wales and princes William and Harry for 15 years, has teamed up with Asda to recreate a royal banquet that you can enjoy – and afford.
Inspired by King Charles III’s favourite foods, the recipes consist of a celebratory starter, main course and dessert: coronation crown smoked salmon custards with rocket and horseradish cream; earthy mushroom risotto with poached eggs and cheddar; and a lemon and blackcurrant trifle with a honey custard.
While they may be fit for a king, each dish can be made on a budget, too.
Here, Darren explains how you can recreate the royal recipes at home without breaking the bank.
The King’s favourites
Coronation of King Charles III latest
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Charles loves biscuits and tea. But he doesn’t like coffee – and he really doesn’t like garlic.
Rumours that breakfasts started with seven boiled eggs, allowing Charles to choose the one that had been cooked to perfection, once sparked an angry online denial from the King. Instead, according to Darren, he starts his day modestly, with plums grown in his garden.
The former royal chef also recalled how the then-prince would always request two plums and some juice for his breakfast, only ever eating one and sending the other back to the kitchen.
Charles famously skips lunch, and at tea time he loves strawberries (in season) and cream – unlike his mother, who preferred chocolate biscuit cake.
Coronation Crown Smoked Salmon Custards with Rocket and Horseradish Cream
Serves 4-8
‘I have fond memories at Balmoral Castle of Prince Charles coming into the kitchen carrying a salmon he had just caught in the river Dee,’ says Darren.
‘The older salmon would be smoked and sliced. His love of eggs, too, made this recipe popular. Arranged in a circle with the salad leaves around the centre and garnished with horseradish cream, this dish represents a delightful culinary crown to celebrate King Charles III’s coronation.’
Ingredients
For the custard:
- 200g pack of smoked salmon
- 4 large eggs
- 125ml double cream
- 250ml milk
- 1 pinch of salt and pepper
For garnish:
- 200ml double cream
- 1-2 teaspoons horseradish
- 1 bag of mild baby leaf and rocket
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 175C.
2. Line 8 small ramekins (or 4 standard-sized ramekins) with the smoked salmon. Whisk together the eggs, cream, milk and salt and pepper, and pour over the salmon to fill the ramekins.
3. Place on a baking sheet and bake in the centre of the oven for about 15 minutes, until the egg mixture is set. Allow to cool slightly and carefully ease out of the ramekin on to a serving plate. Arrange in a circle and surround each with a ring – or crown – of rocket and baby leaf.
4. Whisk the double cream until thick. Fold in the horseradish, to taste. Garnish with the salad leaves.
Earthy Mushroom Risotto With Poached Eggs and Cheddar
Serves 4
‘Mushrooms and cheese have always been firm favourites of King Charles III,’ says Darren. ‘I remember going foraging for mushrooms with him and preparing a delicious risotto with grated cheddar topped with a soft poached egg.’
Ingredients
- 2x6g vegetable stock cubes
- 1 litre hot water
- 250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 250g arborio rice
- 50g unsalted butter
- 250g freshly grated extra mature cheddar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 large eggs
- 1x25g pack fresh chives, finely chopped
Method
1. Dissolve the vegetable stock cubes into the litre of hot water.
2. Add the mushrooms and olive oil to a large sauté pan and stir over medium heat for about five minutes. Add the rice and stir. Reduce the heat.
3. Heat the vegetable stock and bring to a simmer.
4. Add 2 full ladles of the stock to the rice. Stir and simmer over low heat until the stock is absorbed – 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Continue to add the stock, one ladle at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry before adding more stock. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente – about 20 minutes total.
6. When done, the risotto should be thick and creamy and not at all dry. Off the heat, stir in the butter and cheddar and season with salt and pepper.
7. Bring to a rolling boil 1 litre of water. Crack and add the eggs and cook until soft-poached.
8. Divide the risotto between four plates and place a poached egg on top of each.
9. Garnish with the chives.
Lemon and Blackcurrant Trifle with a Honey Custard
SERVES 6-8
‘It’s no secret King Charles III has a passion for honey. Six types are placed on his breakfast table every morning,’ says Darren.
‘He also enjoyed a slice of cake, often when spending the morning painting. Blackcurrants would be picked at Balmoral and made into jams.
‘This citrus lemon cake and blackcurrant trifle with a honey custard and whipped cream is a yummy combination of some of his favourite ingredients.’
Ingredients
For the lemon sponge:
Bowl 1
- 3 eggs
- 240g sour cream
- 125ml vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Bowl 2
- 120g plain flour
- 200g sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Glaze
- Half of a 370g jar blackcurrant conserve or jam
- 200g icing sugar
- 230ml water
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 300ml double cream, whipped to soft peaks
- 1 lemon, zest only
For the honey custard:
- 3 eggs
- 170g honey
- 15g cornflour
- Pinch of salt
- 600ml milk
Method
1. Whisk together bowl one and bowl two and lightly mix together until no lumps. Spoon into a lightly greased 30x19cm baking tray. Bake at 175C for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before removing from the tin. Spread with the blackcurrant jam, cut into fingers and arrange in a trifle bowl.
2. Whisk together the icing sugar, water and lemon juice and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Let it cool slightly and pour over the sponge.
3. Prepare the custard. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, cornflour and salt. Bring the milk to a boil and whisk onto the egg mix. Add the mix back to the pan and whisk on a low heat until the mix thickens – 3-4 minutes. Allow to cool slightly and pour over the sponge. Refrigerate until cold.
4. Spoon or pipe the whipped cream on top of the custard and garnish just before serving with grated lemon zest and a drizzle of honey.
To shop ingredients, see Asda.com
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