Princess Diana Was A Fan Of This Vintage Egg Dish

Princess Diana's go-to breakfast was a simple serving of overnight oats, and bread and butter pudding, minted lamb, and stuffed eggplant were some of her other favorite foods. However, according to her former chef, Darren McGrady, when it came to lunch, she was a fan of a vintage egg dish. Known as eggs Suzette, this vegetarian meal was, in essence, a fancy twist on a twice-baked potato.

While eggs Suzette might be one of those outdated egg dishes you rarely see anymore, it was a meal that Princess Diana requested at least once a week due to its inviting, homely appeal and comforting quality. McGrady, who worked for the Windsors for over a decade and was Diana's personal chef for the last four years of her life, would prepare the dish by halving and scooping out the flesh of a freshly baked potato, making sure to keep the crispy outer shell intact. Then he'd mash up the scooped taters with egg yolks, butter, and seasonings before piping the mixture around the edge of the reserved potato skins and popping them back in the oven to crisp up. Meanwhile, he'd whip up a classic Hollandaise sauce, poach an egg, and sauté some spinach in olive oil with a dash of nutmeg. The final stage was a simple assembly job — piling the spinach into the hollow of the potato skin, followed by the egg, a drizzle of the Hollandaise, and a sprinkle of freshly chopped tarragon, parsley, or green onions.

People are fascinated with the meals that the Royals loved to eat, and this beloved dish is no different. The mash carefully piped around the edges of the potato shell gives eggs Suzette its distinctive (almost crown-like) appearance that distinguishes it from modern loaded potato skins that are often piled high and loaded with cheese. The yolks in the mixture enrich the spuds, encouraging the ridges in the piped design to develop some color and texture, which creates the perfect contrast to the yielding softness of the poached eggs and the smooth consistency of the rich buttery sauce.

In a YouTube clip where Darren McGrady prepares a serving of this old-school dish, he mentions that he sometimes added bits of crispy bacon with the wilted spinach and served it to the Princess with a salad. However, you could also substitute the greens for broccoli or add cheddar to the mash to create a customized version. The only thing to bear in mind is to leave a rim of flesh inside your potato shells to act as a stable base for the piped mash to sit on.