Here’s the full menu for tonights dinner …
Salad of Roasted Scallops and Avocado with Sesame Lime Dressing

Roasted Veal with White Asparagus, Porcini Mushrooms, Watercress and Creamed Spinach

Summer Pudding and Vanilla Creme.

Buckingham Palace Summer Pudding

Makes 6 portions

8 slices hearty white bread, several days old

2 lb mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries, cherries,

redcurrants, blackcurrants, blackberries, blueberries)

½ cup water

1 ½ cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla paste

sprigs of mint for garnish

whipped cream(optional)

1  two pint pudding basin or soufflé case

Prepare the fruit by stoning and halving the cherries, destalking the redcurrants and blackcurrants and hulling and quartering the strawberries keeping each type of fruit separate at this stage.

In a large heavy based pan add the cherries, water, vanilla paste and sugar over a low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Let the cherries simmer until they start to soften. Add the strawberries and blackberries and stir, simmer for a further two to three minutes and then add the blueberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants and finally the raspberries. Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the fruit. Strain into a colander and keep the liquid.

Cut the crusts off the bread and cut a circle using one slice of the bread that will fit the bottom of the basin. Dip it into the reserved liquid and into the pudding basin. Next cut the remaining bread into half and line the pudding basin dipping the bread into the sauce first and overlapping each piece slightly. Reserve two pieces of bread for the top.

Once the basin is completely lined, spoon the fruit into the center and fill to the top. Place the two remaining pieces of bread on top of the fruit and place a saucer that fits snugly inside the basin on top of the bread. Weigh down the top of the pudding by placing something like a large tin of vegetables on top of the saucer and refrigerate over night along with the remaining juices.

Run a spatula around the edges of the pudding and invert onto a serving plate. Pour the remaining sauce over the top and allow it to run down the sides. Garnish with sprigs of mint and serve with whipped cream.

Harry arrives in the USA today with a heavy workload of charity events that includes picking up one of his mother Princess Diana’s charities HALO. You can see his full itinerary here.  I still refer to William and Harry as “the Boys” but they are so grown up now. It’ doesn’t seem five minutes since Princess Diana was kissing them goodbye as she hopped on a plane for a USA trip. Happy Days !

Enjoy the video clip below of me teaching Al Roker on the TODAY Show how to make the Peanut Butter and Jelly muffins and then pick up the ingredients to make your mom feel “Royal” this Mother’s Day brunch !

Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins

Makes 12

2 cups flour

2/3 cup sugar

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp soda

1/2 tsp vanilla paste

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup milk

1/2 cup butter – melted and cooled slightly

2 eggs

1 cup peanut butter – crunchy

1 cup strawberry jam

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12 cup muffin tray.

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and soda to a large bowl and mix well

In a second bowl mix the milk, butter, egg and vanilla paste. Combine both mixes and stir together. Divide the mix between the muffin tins and add a Tbs of peanut butter followed by a Tbs of Jelly to the center of the mix.

Bake in the center of the oven until the muffins are golden brown.

I have to admit though that President George W. Bush was my favorite to cook for. I remember checking the dessert buffet just as he approached the table. Looking over at me in my chef uniform he shouted” Hey big fella! This food is better than the food at the White House” To which I replied “ Well thank-you Mr. President. I practiced on four other Presidents to get it right for you.” Whatever your political views he is just “the nicest guy” and I am thrilled his library is going to be here in Dallas.

The most widely recognized symbol of St George’s Day is St George’s cross. This is a red cross on a white background, which is often displayed as a flag. It is used as England’s national flag, forming part of the Union Flag, the national flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. While “St Georges Day is not celebrated to a great degree across England it is however an important day for the royal family. The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St. George as England’s patron saint, and is bestowed on recipients from Her Majesty’s 54 Commonwealth realms.

Garter Day represents the best in British pomp and Pageantry when at Windsor Castle each year the Knights of the Garter gather for a ceremony at St Georges Chapel, Windsor and then form a procession up to Windsor Castle where Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II hosts a lunch party. While the entree changes every year the dessert stays the same… “Framboises St George” A sort of Raspberry fool shaped like the English flag.

Here’s the recipe from the royal kitchens for you to make at home to celebrate St Georges Day…

Framboises St Georges

 To make an authentic Raspberries St George you will need a rectangular dish like the one shown in the picture. This will make it easier for your guests to identify the Cross of Saint George.  By the way, the Cross of St. George is the true flag of England, not the Union flag (Jack) as most everyone supposes.  Of course, if you are not feeling compelled to create the English flag, you can assemble the fools in individual balloon wine glasses topped with fresh raspberries, fresh mint and whipped cream. If you really want to WOW your friends, serve this dish alongside the shortbread from the Balmoral section of my cookbook Eating Royally, recipes and remembrances from a palace kitchen. Bet you don’t get any leftovers.

1 quart fresh raspberries, divided

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract paste

Whipped cream

Puree half (2 cups) of the fresh raspberries to a pulp. Strain them through a fine sieve to remove all seeds.  In a large bowl whip the heavy cream with the granulated sugar and vanilla extract until stiff. Without over beating, carefully fold the raspberry puree into the whipped cream mix and set aside.

In the rectangular serving dish arrange the remaining fresh raspberries side by side so as to make a large red cross in the dish. Lay another layer of raspberries on top. Divide the raspberry fool into the four corners of the dish taking care not to disturb the raspberry cross in the center. Using a spatula smooth the fool until each of the four quarters are flat.

Place additional whipped cream in a piping bag with a star tube. Highlight the whole raspberry cross by piping small rosettes of cream along each sides of the cross.

Makes 10 servings

Just like most of us who have family recipes passed down from mom and grandma , the royals have a family birthday cake recipe that dates back to Queen Victoria and written by her chef Gabriel Tschumi who rattled pans in the royal kitchens as long ago as 1899. It’s a recipe that I fine tuned for Queen Elizabeth II and made for her twice a year because Her Majesty has an official birthday in June and real birthday April 21st each year.

But it’s not just the Queen who loves this decadent chocolate treat. Every member of the royal family requests “The” Chocolate Birthday Cake too. And every cake looks the same because the pastry chefs are instructed never to write a name on the cake… just “Happy Birthday” …  Never Happy Birthday Your Majesty or even Happy Birthday Queenie !

Here’s the recipe, try it for your next birthday or just as a luxury dessert treat… after all it IS Diamond Jubilee year and besides, everyone loves chocolate… and Eating Royally !

“The” Chocolate Birthday Cake

Makes about 10 portions.

The sponge;

6 egg yolks

2 eggs

4 oz granulated sugar

2 oz flour

1 oz Dutch cocoa powder

2 oz melted butter

The topping and filling;

1 pint heavy cream

1 lb ghirardelli dark chocolate

At least 6 hours before baking the cake prepare the filling. Melt 8 oz of the chocolate and bring to the boil ½ pint of the cream.

Pour the cream onto the chocolate and whisk it until smooth, then refrigerate until set.

Turn on the oven to 350 degrees and set a pan (large enough to hold a mixing bowl) half full of hot water on the stove and bring the water to a boil. Line an 8 inch sponge tin with parchment paper and grease.

In a mixing bowl add the eggs, yolks and sugar and whisk together. Place over the bowl of hot water to allow the mixture to heat up.

Sieve the flour and cocoa and set aside.

Whisk the egg mixture until it doubles in volume and then fold in the butter and flour mixture. Spoon the mix into the cake tin and bake for about 20 minutes until the sponge springs back when pressed.

Remove from the oven onto a cooling wire and make the topping while the sponge cools.

Melt the remaining 8 oz of chocolate and bring to the boil the remaining ½ pint of cream. Pour the cream onto the chocolate and whisk it until smooth and then set aside off the heat.

Slice the sponge into three discs and spread the filling onto the bottom two discs and reassemble.  Add the remaining chocolate mix to the hot topping and whisk in.

Place the sponge back onto the cooling wire and ladle the topping over the sponge allowing it to run down the sides. Cool the cake for at least 2 hours before decorating with chocolate and serving.

Beets are a rich source of potent antioxidants and nutrients, including magnesium, sodium, potassium and vitamin C so an incredible “superfood” for the kitchen table. Once cooked and cooled, I raided the refrigerator for some goodies to make a delicious, healthy salad for dinner. In the bottom of my salad bowl I placed a carton of 0% fat Greek yoghurt, then quartered the beets and placed them on top. Threw on some finely sliced red onion, cilantro and pea shoots and garnished with pomegranate seeds. All I needed then was a drizzle of some aged balsamic vinegar that I had brought back from my Culinary Trip to Modena, Italy and there I had a delicious, healthy salad worthy of any kitchen table. Try it at home this weekend.

Pan Seared Salmon with Sweet Chipotle Dressing

4 (six-ounce) salmon fillets, sliced thin on the bias

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper

For the Salad;

2 cups corn kernels, cooked

1 avocado, cut into bite size pieces

2 cups canned black beans, rinsed and drained

½ cup finely diced red onion

½ cup cilantro, chopped

For the Dressing;

1 chipotle chili from a can of chipotles in adobo

1 garlic clove

2 tablespoons  tomato ketchup

6 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon honey

½ cup olive oil

Salt and pepper

4 cups of kale, shredded

Mix together all of the ingredients for the salad in a large bowl and set aside.

Blend the ingredients for the dressing and pour half into the bowl over the salad.

Pour the 1-tablespoon of olive oil into a skillet and heat until smoking. Season the salmon and carefully place in the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes and turn.

Divide the shredded kale between four plates. Place the salad on top and then the salmon on top of the salad. Drizzle the remaining sauce over the salmon and serve.

The highlight of my working week in the Royal Kitchens at Buckingham Palace was always slicing the lemon for the drinks tray when Prime Minister Thatcher had her weekly audience with H.M. The Queen. Although I cooked for her many times, I never got to meet her until I moved 5,000 miles away to Dallas, Texas.

Mrs. Thatcher was guest of honor at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wyly jr. and I prepared an American/British fusion dinner party. I made a display of sugarcraft flowers and sugar plaque with coat of arms for the petit-fours and chocolate truffles and she was so thrilled she insisted I had my photograph taken with her.  We reminisced about our home towns, just fifteen miles apart back across the pond and she laughed when I told her it was my golf clubs that her husband Dennis would borrow when they went to stay with The Queen at Balmoral Castle each year. (He was left-handed)

RIP Margaret Thatcher. The lady who stood for the ‘Great’ in Great Britain.

Butter Cake With Salted Caramel Frosting

Makes one 9”cake

For the cake;

3 cups flour, all-purpose

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

1 cup softened butter (2 sticks)

2 cups sugar

4 eggs, room temperature

1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla

For the frosting:

2 cups sugar

1 cup buttermilk

½ cup Crisco vegetable shortening

½ cup butter

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ cup butter

½ teaspoon sea salt

2 cups confectioner’s sugar

1/2 cup Heath English toffee bits for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For the cake;

Grease and flour two  9-inch cake pans.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt with a whisk in a large bowl.

Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Gradually add the eggs while beating.

Stir the flour mix, buttermilk and vanilla into the egg mix and divide among pans Bake in the center of the oven for about 25-30 minutes until set. Sit for 5 minutes and then turn out onto cooling racks and allow to cool completely.

For the frosting;

Add the sugar, buttermilk, shortening, butter and baking soda into a 3-4 quart pot. Whisk the ingredients until melted, over medium-low heat. Increase the heat and continually whisk. Cook to a softball stage (235-245 degrees on a candy thermometer)

Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining butter to help lower the temperature. Allow the mix to cool slightly and then add the confectioner’s sugar. This is best done in an electric mixer. Mix until there are no lumps then add the sea salt and mix again. Frost the cake, garnish with the toffee bits and eat within 1-2 days.