Coq au Vin (literally "rooster in red wine") is probably the most famous of all French chicken dishes, and certainly one of the most delicious, with its rich red wine sauce, its tender onions and mushroom garniture, and its browned pieces of chicken with their wonderful flavor.
Course All Seasons, French Classics, Paris, Public, Sauces, Winter
Servings 6
Ingredients
1Rooster
2Thick Bacon Slices
50Grams(1.8 oz)Flour
1Small Glass Cognac
1 Cote du rhone will be perfectBottle of red wine
2Cloves garlic
2Bay leaves
3Sprigs fresh thyme
20or 4 large white onions, quarteredPearl onions
360Grams(12.7 oz.)Button mushrooms
60Grams(2.1 oz.)Butter
450Grams(15.9 oz. or ~1lb.)Fingerling potatos
1choppedBunch parsley
4(peeled)Carrots
Instructions
One or 2 days before serving:
In a large bowl, add the pieces of rooster, the red wine, carrots and onion in small cubes, thyme and bay leave
The day you will serve the dish:
In a large sauté pan, on a medium heat, add 15 mL. / 1 tbls. of oil and the chopped bacon (dices, quarter inch) cook the bacon like this a few minutes, then remove the bacon but keep the fat in the pan. Drain the chicken and keep everything.
Place the roosters pieces in the bacon fat and brown on all sides, add the flour and stir to dissolve, then deglaze with Cognac, which can be flambéed if desired.
Reduce 3 minutes, then add the herbs, carrots, onions, and wine, which should cover about 1/2 way up the poultry. Salt lightly, and bring to the simmer over medium heat, careful not to ever boil. (Best not to put on a lid, as the steam build-up can quickly toughen the poultry.) Cook for about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, you’ll have to cook the vegetables in a separate sauté pan. Melt 15 gr. / 1 tbls. butter and soften pearl onions and sliced mushroom with light browning about 5 minutes, covered. Add garlic cloves for last 2 minutes, salt, and reserve.
In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the bacon, the mushrooms and the pearl onions.
If sauce remains too thin to coat the back of a spoon, remove the poultry and reduce sauce until it’s thick enough to coat the poultry.
Check for seasoning, toss in parsley the last minute, and serve with fingerling potatoes, which have been boiled about 30 minutes, salted, till tender.
Coq au Vin (literally "rooster in red wine") is probably the most famous of all French chicken dishes, and certainly one of the most delicious, with its rich red wine sauce, its tender onions and mushroom garniture, and its browned pieces of chicken with their wonderful flavor. This is a delicious recipe made in the French Market Cooking Class. Wine suggestion: Clos de Gamot 2005 Cahors rouge.