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There are many recipes for Coronation Chicken, but I experimented and this one most closely approximates the salad I had while in Scotland.

3 c. cold diced cooked chicken (I use 2-3 bone-in chicken breasts, poached)
1 small yellow onion, diced finely
Light olive oil or butter
2-3 tsp. curry powder (not hot)
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. apricot preserves
Salt and pepper

Saute the onion in a little oil or butter until it is soft and clear (but not brown – a little salt can prevent the browning). Stir in curry powder to taste. Set aside to cool.

Whip cream with a hand mixer until it holds stiff peaks. Carefully fold in the mayonnaise, cooled onion mixture, and apricot preserves. Season to taste with salt and pepper, adding more curry powder if desired. Carefully fold in chicken. Refrigerate for at least one hour to let all the flavors blend.

I like to serve it on Kaiser rolls, but you can serve it on white toast, or by itself with lettuce as a lunch platter.

Makes 3-4 sandwiches, depending on the size of the bread.

Delicious.

This is delicious, and better after it sits for a day. I added 2 tbsp tomato paste to make it richer, and think replacing a cup of the cooking water with tomato puree would be good. Also, I used 3 c. chicken stock and 3 c. water, and a 14oz. can of chopped tomatoes. I found that just a sprinkle of cayenne was plenty. Don’t skimp on the salt, though. It really brings out the flavor. I also cooked it about 1 hour (gentle simmer).

Ingredients
1 cup red lentils, about 6 ounces
6 cups cold water
1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium-size yellow onion, diced, about 2 cups
salt
cayenne pepper
1 small carrot, diced, about 1/2 cup
1 teaspoon ground cumin seed
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (or 1 tsp. dried ground)
1/2 pound fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, about 1 cup or 1 (8 ounces can) tomatoes with juice, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)

Directions
Sort and rinse the lentils and place them in a soup pot with the cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until tender, about 20 minutes.
While the lentils are cooking, heat the olive oil in a medium-size sauté pan and add the onion, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and a few pinches of cayenne. Cook over medium heat until the onions are soft, 7 to 8 minutes, then add the vegetables, another 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the spices. Cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute or two. Add the vegetables and tomatoes to the lentils and their broth. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to blend and deepen. Season to taste with salt and cayenne. Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of cilantro if desired.

This is another standby dish that my husband and I love. It is quick, easy, and delicious.

1/2 lb. fusilli pasta

zest and juice of 1 lemon

1-2 zucchini, sliced lengthwise VERY thinly (use a mandoline, if you have it)

3-4 (or more) fresh chilli peppers (I use whatever looks good – jalapenos, cherry peppers, Thai peppers) seeded and sliced

2 cloves garlic, sliced thin

olive oil

salt and pepper

parmesan cheese to serve

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin (optional)

If you want it with chicken, saute the pieces in a little oil over medium-high heat until they have a nice, caramelized finish and are cooked through.

Cook the fusilli in boiling water until done to your liking.

Meanwhile, in a large pan, saute the garlic, zucchini, and hot peppers in a little oil over medium heat until the zucchini starts to soften and brown. Add the lemon juice and zest and mix well. Add the cooked chicken, if using, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss with the hot, drained pasta, and serve with parmesan cheese.

My husband likes to add red pepper flakes, so if you like it hot, that is a good option (the seeded chillies aren’t really that hot), or you can leave the seeds and pith from the chillies in for a bigger kick.

Delicious! (And good for you, too.)

I hope others will share with me, too.

Here’s one I kind of made up. My husband can’t stop raving about it, even though it’s not the sort of dish he typically likes.

Jamaican Rice

1 c. basmati rice
1 tsp. chicken stock base
1 3/4 c. water
1/2 tsp. ground ginger (or more)
black pepper to taste
1/4 tsp. jerk seasoning

1/2 c. diced sweet onion
1/4 c. diced red bell pepper
1/4 c. diced pineapple (fresh is best, but canned will do)
1 c. cubed sweet potato
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. slivered toasted almonds

Cook the rice in the water, mixed with the chicken base, black pepper, jerk seasoning, and the ginger until tender. Meanwhile, saute the sweet potato over medium heat in the olive oil (you may need to add a little water from time to time) until tender but not mushy. Set aside. Saute the onion, bell pepper, and pineapple over medium high heat until the onion is clear. Add the sweet potato and saute until everything is starting to brown. Toss the vegetable mixture and almonds with the rice using a fork. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper, or ginger as needed. Serve as a side dish. Or toss in diced cooked chicken to make it a meal.

So good.