Coronation quiche recipe: How to make King Charles's divisive celebratory dish
When King Charles's coronation quiche recipe was revealed on Instagram in April, it was met with mixed reactions at best. While some people called it delicious, others noted it was "soggy" and didn't love the addition of broad beans.
Now the French are having a dig at the quiche too, with some French foodies claiming it doesn't deserve the title of "quiche".
"I think I would call it a savoury tart," Évelyne Muller-Dervaux, grand master of the Brotherhood of the Quiche Lorraine, told The Times.
"I think it would have anyway better reflected the British spirit if they had called it a tart," agreed fellow member of the Quiche Lorraine brotherhood, Laurent Miltgen-Delinchamp.
Members of the Quiche Lorraine brotherhood believe that only the quiche Lorraine, made with eggs, cream, lardons, and pastry, is a true quiche. Anything else is a pie or a tart.
But the French aren't the only people turning their noses up at the King's quiche. Former cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg said of the creation: "I don’t like quiche, it’s disgusting, I wouldn’t dream of having it – and it’s got broad beans in it which are loathsome."
The coronation quiche recipe was unveiled by Buckingham Palace ahead of King Charles III and Queen Camilla's coronation on May 6.
During the King's coronation weekend, there will be street parties galore up and down the country, with those hosting encouraged to make and serve the quiche during their gatherings.
It is described as featuring the "delicate flavours of spinach, broad beans and fresh tarragon" and is recommended to be eaten "hot or cold with a green salad and boiled new potatoes".
The palace also shared how to make the quiche, which was served at a Coronation Big Lunch event at London's Westminster Abbey in April.
The caption on a video of a palace chef demonstrating how to make the dish explained that it was "chosen personally" by the King and Queen, who are urging people to join in the planned nationwide Coronation Big Lunch celebrations on Monday 8 May.
The coronation quiche marks a change from the 1953 coronation luncheon of the late Queen Elizabeth II, who died in September, where guests were served Poulet Reine Elizabeth – now better known as coronation chicken.
The clip featuring the quiche recipe has received more than 56,000 'likes', with many royal fans declaring the quiche sounded "tasty" and "scrumptious".
However, some social media users were bemused by the addition of broad beans in the quiche – with one stating that it had "lost me at broad beans".
Despite its key ingredients of spinach, broad beans and tarragon being plant-based, the simple-to-make dish isn't vegetarian.
In order to make it suitable for those with the common dietary requirement, you will need to swap the lard for a vegetarian alternative.
Follow the recipe below to make the quiche (serves six). Before you start, have a 20cm flan tin to hand, and begin by making the pastry before moving on to the filling.
How to make King Charles's coronation quiche
Ingredients
Pastry:
125g plain flour
Pinch of salt
25g cold butter, diced
25g lard (or vegetarian alternative)
2 tablespoons milk
OR
1 x 250g block of ready-made shortcrust pastry
Filling:
125ml milk
175ml double cream
2 medium eggs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon,
Salt and pepper
100g grated cheddar cheese,
180g cooked spinach, lightly chopped
60g cooked broad beans or soya beans
Method:
If you are making the pastry rather than using ready-made shortcrust, start by sieving the flour into a bowl, along with a pinch of salt. Add the butter and lard (or more butter if you're not using lard) and rub the mixture together with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs.
Add the milk to this mixture and mix it together using a knife until it starts to form a dough. Once you're sure there are no dry patches, cover a rest it in the fridge for 30 to 45 minutes. Once cooled, roll out the dough onto a floured surface until it is approximately 5mm thick.
Ready-made shortcrust users begin here: Line a 20cm flan tin with the pastry, ensuring there are no holes. Cover and rest in the fridge for a further 30 minutes. Turn the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5.
Line the cooled pastry with baking paper, add baking beans and bake blind for 15 minutes. Then remove the paper and beans. Turn the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3.
Mix the filling together by beating the milk, cream, eggs, herbs, and seasoning. Sprinkle half of the grated cheese on the pastry's base, top with spinach, beans, herbs and pour over the egg mixture. Give it a gentle stir to ensure toppings are evenly dispersed.
Sprinkle over remaining cheese and bake in oven for 20 to 25 minutes until set and lightly golden.
Watch: King and Queen Consort reveal recipe for official 'Coronation Quiche'
