Alma McKee was the cook to Elizabeth II during the days when the Queen was merely a Princess. In 1985, Mrs. McKee wrote in her memoirs that "her Highness had a small but discriminating appetite, and she especially appreciated traditional English dishes such as pumpkin soup with nutmeg, cheese souffles and desserts made with Frangipane cream. No dish did she enjoy more, however, than one of my own inventions, a simple chicken dish that I took the privilege of naming after her". Later in her book, when she presents us with the recipe for her dish "Chicken a la Princesse", Mrs. McKee goes on to write about "how very pleased I was when I learned that my own little dish had become a regular part of the menu at the Ritz Hotels in London and in Paris".

At the risk of doing incalculable harm to fifty million English egos, it is only reasonable to point out that the first of the dishes their Monarch so enjoys originated with the Indians of North America, the second is uniquely French, and the third is Italian. At the further risk of offending, it should also be pointed out that the little dish that Mrs. McKee "invented" actually had its origins in Russia ninety years before the current Queen Elizabeth was born. The dish was probably made for the first time by French trained Mikhael Souverof, who as the chef to Tzar Nicholas I, was asked to prepare a special dish in honor of the state visit of Princess Elizabeth of Austria in October of 1926. In his own memoirs (chefs in private service have a passion for writing their memoirs), Souverof wrote that "knowing of the Princess' love for oranges, chicken, ham and sweet cream, I decided to find a combination of the four that would please her." That Souverof succeeded is demonstrated in that his dish has been adopted not only by the English but by the French, who consider it part of classic French cookery.

Chicken a la Princesse

2 large oranges
250 grams veal
250 grams ham
salt and pepper to taste
6 Tablespoons sweet cream
2 chicken breasts
paprika to taste
butter for cooking
watercress, for garnish

Plunge the oranges into rapidly boiling water. Turn off the flame and let the oranges stand in the water for 1 - 2 minutes before draining. Cut the oranges into quarters, remove the pits but leave the skins intact.

In a blender or food processor finely chop the veal and ham together, season with salt and pepper to taste and then mix with the sweet cream. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and paprika to taste. Half the chicken breasts and in each half cut a pocket with a very sharp knife. Divide the veal and ham mixture into 4 equal portions and fill the pockets with this mixture.

In a heavy skillet melt the butter and in this gently fry the chicken breasts until golden brown on all sides. Transfer the chicken breasts to a baking pan and place in a medium oven for 10 minutes. To serve, garnish the plate with the orange quarters and watercress. (Serves 4).

© Daniel Rogov