Ingredients
For the chicken
2 organic chickens
2 carrots, chopped
2 onions, quartered
roughly chopped leek or celery
1 large bouquet garni
For the sauce
60g/2oz chopped onion
1 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tsp mild or medium curry powder
1 heaped tsp tomato purée
100ml/3½fl oz red wine
60ml/2fl oz water
1 bay leaf
1 slice of lemon
dash of freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 dried apricots
450ml/¾ pint mayonnaise
3 tbsp lightly whipped cream
salt
freshly ground black pepper
pinch of sugar
To garnish
a little paprika or cayenne pepper
chopped parsley or sprigs of curly parsley
Method
1. First poach the chicken. Put them whole into two pans and divide the other ingredients between the two. Pour in enough water to just cover the chicken, then bring to the boil. Simmer very gently for around 60 minutes, depending on the size, until cooked right through.
2. Take off the heat and leave to cool in the poaching liquid. When cool reserve the poaching liquid to use as chicken stock in other dishes.
3. To make the coronation sauce, begin by softening the onion in the oil without browning. Add the curry powder, tomato purée, wine, water, bay leaf, lemon slice and juice. Simmer uncovered for 5-10 minutes or until reduced by about half, then strain and leave to cool.
4. Put the apricots in a pan with barely enough water to cover and simmer until very tender. Liquidise, adding a little extra water if needed. Leave to cool.
5. Mix the mayonnaise with the strained curry sauce and the apricot purée and some salt, pepper and sugar (if needed) to taste. Fold in the whipped cream.
6. Strip the meat from the cold, poached chickens and tear into bite-sized pieces. Toss in enough of the flavoured mayonnaise to coat nicely.
7. Arrange on a plate, garnish with a sprinkling of cayenne or paprika and parsley and serve.
