Coq au vin recipe

Coq au vin means literally, “Cock in wine,” but nowadays it has become less traditional to use an actual cock because it’s far easier to find a chicken than a cock. This is another really easy recipe that just takes a little time to prepare. If you wish to make a less expensive version, just use chicken pieces (legs and thighs) rather than a whole chicken. I prefer to use a whole chicken though. This takes very little time, perhaps 1 ½ hours including preparation time. This is another great smelling dish that fills the kitchen with a wonderful aroma whilst cooking. If you have a friendly butcher, ask him to cut a chicken into 6 pieces for you. Even though the wine is going to be used for cooking, it is worth buying a reasonable bottle.

You will need:

Equipment:

• A skillet or heavy frying pan
• A large casserole dish (flameproof)
• A sharp knife
• A cutting board
• A serving dish

Ingredients:

• A large chicken (5 lbs) or chicken pieces
• ½ lb of bacon
• ½ lb of shallots
• ½ lb shiitake mushrooms
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs for fresh thyme ( if not available, just a dash of dried thyme instead )
• A bottle of red wine (not for drinking – OK, just a sip to make sure it’s all right)
• Butter
• Oil
• Flour
• Salt and pepper

First, prepare the vegetables. Peel the onions but leave whole. Peel and crush the garlic. Leave the mushrooms for now. Next, heat a knob of butter and a tablespoon of oil in the skillet. Fry the chicken pieces until the skin is brown. Remove from the skillet and place in a large casserole dish. The casserole should be big enough that the pieces are all on the bottom and do not sit on top of each other.

Now, chop the bacon into small pieces and fry in the skillet, add the onions to brown as well. Add to the chicken in the casserole. Next add the crushed garlic, bay leaves and thyme. Pour in the wine – yes, all of it! Bring to the boil, turn to a low simmer, cover and cook for 1 hour. After 45 minutes, add the mushrooms. After an hour, remove the chicken, bacon and onions with a slotted spoon and place in a warm serving dish. Now, bring the liquid to a boil, and reduce by about a quarter. Next stir in a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of plain flour that has been watered down to a paste. Using a whisk, stir continuously until the sauce has thickened. Serve the chicken with the sauce poured over the top. Serve with potatoes and green beans or plain white rice if you feel like a lower fat meal. I like a heavy red wine with this dish, but then I like a heavy red wine with everything.

Bon Apetit!