So here goes then. My first attempt at tackling one of Julia Child's famous classic French recipes from her best selling book 'Mastering the art if French Cooking.' Coq Au Vin is a French favourite throughout the country. It is a rustic, comforting dish that is delicious. Looking at the recipe and reading all of the do's and dont's can be a little daunting. This book is famous for its detailed step by step recipes and can seem like a nightmare from the outset. But trust me this on in particular really isn't. It is easy to prepare and easy to cook. As long as you get your prep done ahead of time then the rest is a doddle. So here is what you will need and how I did it. I made this for the two of us. The recipe says six. So just adjust your ingredients accordingly.
Ingredients:
Four fresh chicken thighs on the bone with the skin on.
Six large mushrooms
Twelve Pearl onions
Three cloves of garlic
One large glass of red wine (Claret or Burgundy?)
One small glass of brandy
Pancetta or bacon lardons
One table spoon of tomato puree
Butter
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
Fresh Thyme, Parsley and Bay leaves
One pint of hot Chicken Stock
Method:
Start by patting dry your chicken pieces with a towel and season with salt and pepper. Set aside and in a large deep pan heat two table spoons of butter and some olive oil. Cook the bacon or pancetta until golden brown but not crunchy. Remove them from the pan keeping the fat in there. Fry off the chicken skin side down until skin is golden brown. Return the bacon to the pan and turn the chicken. Cook for twenty minutes with a lid on.
While the chicken is cooking, peel your onions but leave them whole. Chop your mushrooms to what size you would like them and in a separate pan sauté them in a little butter and olive oil until the mushrooms turn golden. Flambé the chicken by adding the brandy to the pan but stand well back when you light the liquid. Burn off the alcohol and add the red wine, chicken stock and tomato puree. Peel your garlic cloves and add them to the pan whole. Next add the Thyme and bay leaves. Cover the pan with the lid and cook un til chicken is tender and juices run clear when pricked with a fork.
Add the sautéed mushrooms and onions to the pan with the chicken and mix well. Taste the liquid and adjust seasonings accordingly. To help thicken the sauce, combine a little butter with some flour in a pot to make a roux. Remove the chicken from the pan and rest it in a separate dish. Slowly add the roux to the pan until you get the consistency you want? Once you have done this add the chicken back the pan. Chop the fresh parsley and add to the pan.
Serve with fresh French bread and some spring greens or your favourite potatoes.
Bon Apetit!
Comments
Post a Comment