Coronation Egg Sandwiches

Coronation chicken, a salad invented for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953, was a must-have dish on every caterer’s menu back in the seventies. When done properly, it’s delicious, so ensure the curry powder is cooked into the mixture and not left raw. Here I have substituted the chicken with eggs to make a lovely sandwich filling.

INGREDIENTS

6 eggs, hardboiled and peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons mild curry powder
½ cup white wine or chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons mango chutney
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

To assemble
16 slices thin sandwich bread, crusts removed
butter at room temperature
alfalfa sprouts

METHOD

Chop the eggs coarsely and set aside.

Heat the oil in a small saucepan and add the onion and garlic with a good pinch of salt. Cover and cook until the onion is very tender. Add the curry powder and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the wine or stock and cook for 8 minutes or until all the wine has evaporated and the mixture is very thick. Stir in the mango chutney and cool. Transfer to a food processor and process until smooth. Tip into a bowl and stir in the mayonnaise and coriander. Season. Place the chopped eggs in a separate bowl and gently stir in just enough mayonnaise to bind the eggs together.

To assemble: Butter one side of each slice of bread and cut in half to form triangles. Working with 2 triangles at a time, spread one triangle with the egg mayonnaise and top with a layer of sprouts. Don’t take the egg mayonnaise right to the edges of the bread. Sandwich with the remaining triangle and press the edges to seal. Repeat with the remaining bread, egg mayonnaise and sprouts. Makes 16 sandwiches

Cook’s tip: This makes more mayonnaise than required for this recipe. Mix the remaining mayonnaise (without the eggs added) with cold diced chicken, prawns or pork along with chopped mango and spring onions. Serve over shredded cos lettuce and garnish with roasted cashew nuts to make a delicious salad.

If making the sandwiches ahead of time, cover with a damp piece of muslin or thin linen tea-towel to prevent the bread from drying out.