The Royal Chef Walked Us Through The Queen's Very Favorite Recipe — Gaelic Steaks
Darren McGrady was the personal chef to Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Princess Diana, and Princes William and Harry—a family with notoriously specific food needs—for 15 years. In 1998, he moved to the U.S.A. where he wrote best-selling cookbooks and founded Eating Royally, a fine-dining catering service based in Dallas, TX.
In this limited series, Chef McGrady walks Delish through the royals' favorite recipes from his Dallas test kitchen...while spilling all the most glorious royal tea. We started with Kate Middleton and her sweet tooth. Next up? Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith. Or, as you might know her, the Queen.
The 93-year-old Queen's eating habits have long been reported on because of their rumored specificity and consistency (no garlic! Four drinks a day!). So when Chef McGrady told us Lilibet's favorite meal of his was a well-done Gaelic steak with a thick, creamy sauce and organically grown vegetables, it made sense; not only did the dish not require any garlic, but it also pairs nicely with just about anything she wants to drink.
Also, it is equal parts luxurious, simple, and delicious.
Chef starts by heavily seasoning the tenderloin. As he does so, he remembers how it felt to meet the Queen for the first time. (Her corgis charged at him. He ran. She laughed. He laughed.) He sears the meat almost five whole minutes on each side, making sure it's at a place where he can tell it's well-done—another one of the Queen's specifications. Meanwhile, root vegetables (ones that, during McGrady's tenure would've come straight from the grounds of the Balmoral estate) sautée.
The sauce he creates is thick and lush, with cream, butter, mushrooms, and more. He adjusts, adding "lashes" of cream as he goes, because one thing the Queen doesn't care about? "Calories."
Watch it all come together (and hear a whole lot more about Queen Elizabeth's extremely specific food preferences) above. Find the recipe in full here.
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