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Through the ages, the Royal Family has been well known for putting on spectacular banquets to mark significant events. Coronations, Jubilees and State Visits are three occasions which are traditionally honoured with a banquet.
In recent years such occasions, while maintaining their traditional splendour and ceremony, have been significantly reduced in size. Take, for example, a State Banquet hosted by The Queen at Windsor Castle in 2001. To honour the visiting King and Queen of Jordan, Her Majesty put on a banquet for just over 150 guests. To mark the Coronation of King George IV in 1821, however, a total of over 1,600 people attended a banquet in the honour of the new king!
Each banquet provides an opportunity to display the Sovereign's most impressive wares. The banquet table is meticulously prepared; the staff are spectacularly dressed in ceremonial uniforms; and the menu is of the highest standard. Again, though, the size of the menu has been gradually reduced from one Monarch to another. Whereas King George IV treated his guests to a range of 20 first courses, 22 main courses and 31 desserts, Queen Elizabeth II considers it more appropriate to offer one choice for each course.
The recipes themselves, however, remain of a very high quality. With each monarch comes a different Royal Chef, but they are all linked by the imagination and standard of their menus. The following menu has been made up from dishes offered at various Royal banquets from different periods in history. So now you can recreate your very own banquet of banquets at home for your friends.
LE MENU
Mayonnaise de Homard
(as used at the Coronation Banquet of His Majesty
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, 10th May, 1937)
* * *
Filet de Boeuf Mascotte
(as used at the Coronation day banquet of
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, 2nd June, 1953)
* * *
Salade d'Asperges à la Vinaigrette
(as used at the Coronation banquet of
His Majesty King George V, 22nd June, 1911)
* * *
Parfait à la Meringue au Citron
(as used at the State Banquet for the visit of
the President of Finland, October 1995)
* * *
Mayonnaise de Homard (Serves 4)
1.6kg Lobster
0.14pt Mayonnaise
1/10 bunch Chives
0.06pt Vinaigrette
0.4 each Round Lettuce
2 Medium Eggs
0.1 each Cucumber
0.4 each Raddichio Lettuce
Salt and Pepper for seasoning
Boil lobster for 20 minutes, cool and shell meat. Marinade in chive vinaigrette, drain and combine with mayonnaise then build on a dish. Garnish with lettuce and cucumber.
Filet de Boeuf Mascotte (Serves 4)
600g Mid-cut Beef Fillet
24g Salted Butter
1/5 Bunch Watercress
0.4pt Madeira Sauce
Mascotte Garnish
Salt and Pepper for seasoning
Roast the fillet of beef and slice, placing the pieces on a serving plate. Add on one side the Mascotte garnish then nape the sauce over the meat. Add the watercress to decorate.
For the Madeira Sauce add 1floz of Madeira to 0.4pt of Half Glaze Sauce.
For the Mascotte Garnish quarter one and a half globe artichokes. Add cocotte potatoes and whole peeled truffles. Season and add a small amount of parsley then combine.
Salade d'Asperges à la Vinaigrette (Serves 4)
0.4 each Cos Lettuce
0.2 each Chives
0.1pt Vinaigrette
500g Medium Asparagus
Salt and Pepper for seasoning
Trim, wash and cook asparagus. Refresh then arrange on a bed of lettuce. Drizzle on a small amount of olive oil. Pour vinaigrette dressing apart.
Parfait à la Meringue au Citron (Serves 4)
8g Granulated Sugar
2 Lemons
1/3pt Double Cream
8g Egg Yolk
3 Meringues
Boil the lemon juice and rind with the sugar in a pan for 2 to 3 minutes. Whip the cream into soft peaks. Beat the yolks until light and double thickness. Gradually add hot lemon mixture. Whip until cold. Fold the lemon mixture into cream and freeze in an ice cream machine. Once frozen, add the crushed meringues, place in a tranche mould and freeze.
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