Queen Elizabeth II officially celebrates her 90th birthday in June and also her 63rd year as Queen, breaking the record of Queen Victoria to become the longest reigning monarch.
Many Americans and Canadians have been royal family watchers, for marriages, births of children and grandchildren, and funerals (the Queen Mother and Princess Diana). Now, fans can picnic with the royals and 10,000 invited guests (paying $215 each) as they celebrate the Queen's charity patronages.
June is also Poultry Month. How fitting is it, to make Royale Chicken-Asparagus Roulade part of the lunch to serve at your own event.
Royale Chicken-Asparagus Roulade
4 medium skinless, boneless
chicken-breast halves
1 lemon
3 ounces goat cheese
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
16 thin asparagus spears
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
Holding a chef's knife against a long side of chicken-breast halves, slice them almost but not all the way through. Open and spread flat.
Make 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest and 1 tablespoon juice.
In bowl, combine goat cheese, mint, lemon zest and juice. Spread mixture evenly on cut sides of breast halves.
Line up asparagus spears (cut blunt ends to unify length). Place 4 uncooked spears on a long side of each breast half. Roll each breast half to enclose them, allowing ends of stalks to protrude. Secure with toothpicks.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
In nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add roulades. Cook, covered, 9 to 11 minutes or until chicken loses pink color, turning roulades to brown all sides.
Transfer roulades to cutting board to cool. To serve, discard toothpicks and cut roulades into 1-inch-thick slices. Place them in individual picnic basket containers or on a platter for immediate use. Serves 4.
The menu includes minted Cornish potato salad with pea shoots.
