Quick CardCoq au Vin
4 servings
Bacon and Chicken
- 3 to 4 ozchunk of lean bacon, rind removed, cut into sticks
- 2 tbspcooking oil
- 2.5 to 3 lbcut-up frying chicken
- ½ tspsalt
- ⅛ tspblack pepper
- ¼ cupcognac
- 2 quartwater for blanching
Simmering in Red Wine
- 3 cupsyoung red wine, such as Burgundy, Mâcon or Chianti
- 1 to 2 cupsbeef stock
- 1 tbsptomato paste
- 2 clovesgarlic, mashed
- ¼ tspdried thyme
- 1 leafbay leaf
Brown-Braised Onions
- 12 to 24small white onions
- 1 to 2 tbspcooking oil
- ¼ to ½ tspsalt
Sautéed Mushrooms
- 0.5 lbfresh mushrooms
- 1 tbspbutter
- ½ tbspcooking oil
Sauce and Serving
- 3 tbspflour
- 2 tbspbutter, softened
- parsley sprigs, to taste
- Bacon and Chicken Cut the rind off 3 to 4 oz chunk of lean bacon and slice the bacon into sticks about 2.5 cm (1 in) long and 6 mm (¼ in) thick.
- Simmer the bacon sticks in 2 quart water for blanching for 10 min. Drain, rinse in cold water and dry well. 95 °C
- Sauté the bacon slowly in 2 tbsp cooking oil in the casserole over moderate heat (an electric skillet set to 127 °C). When it is very lightly browned, lift it out to a side dish and leave the fat in the pan.
- Dry 2.5 to 3 lb cut-up frying chicken thoroughly in a towel. Raise the heat (182 °C in an electric skillet) and brown the pieces on all sides in the hot fat. 10 min to 15 min
- Season the chicken with ½ tsp salt and ⅛ tsp black pepper, return the bacon, cover and cook slowly (149 °C) for 10 min, turning the chicken once.
- Uncover, pour in ¼ cup cognac and light it with a match. Shake the pan back and forth for several seconds until the flames die down.
- Simmering in Red Wine Pour 3 cups young red wine, such as Burgundy, Mâcon or Chianti over the chicken and add just enough 1 to 2 cups beef stock to cover it. Stir in 1 tbsp tomato paste, 2 cloves garlic, ¼ tsp dried thyme and 1 leaf bay leaf.
- Bring to a simmer, cover and simmer slowly for about 30 min, until the chicken is tender. Start the onions and mushrooms meanwhile.
- Brown-Braised Onions Drop 12 to 24 small white onions into a pan of boiling water, bring it back to the boil and boil for 1 min. Drain.
- Shave off the ends, slip off the skins and cut a deep cross into each root end with a small knife, so the onions stay whole as they cook.
- Heat 1 to 2 tbsp cooking oil in a frying pan, add the onions and toss them for several minutes until lightly browned. 4 min to 6 min
- Pour in water to come halfway up the onions, add ¼ to ½ tsp salt, cover and simmer slowly for 25 min to 30 min, until tender.
- Sautéed Mushrooms Trim the base of the stems from 0.5 lb fresh mushrooms, wash caps and stems quickly in cold water and dry them in a towel. Quarter the caps and cut the stems on the bias into chunks of a similar size.
- Heat 1 tbsp butter and ½ tbsp cooking oil in a frying pan. When the foam is bubbling hot, add the mushrooms and sauté over high heat for 4 min to 5 min, until lightly browned.
- Sauce and Serving When the chicken is tender, pour the cooking liquid into a saucepan. Skim off the fat and, if the flavour needs concentrating, boil the liquid down.
- Take the pan off the heat. Blend 2 tbsp butter and 3 tbsp flour to a smooth paste in a saucer and beat it into the liquid with a wire whisk.
- Bring back to the simmer, stirring, and simmer for 1 min to 2 min until the sauce has thickened.
- Scrape in the onions and mushrooms and simmer for 1 min to blend the flavours. Taste carefully, adding salt and pepper if needed, then pour the sauce over the chicken.
- Shortly before serving, bring to a simmer while basting the chicken with the sauce, then cover and simmer slowly for 4 min to 5 min, just until the chicken is hot through. Do not overcook it now.
- Serve from the casserole, or arrange on a hot platter and decorate with parsley sprigs.
- Safety: Poultry should reach 74 °C (165 °F) at the centre. (USDA FSIS)
- Safety: Pour the cognac in off the flame and light it with a long match, keeping your face and sleeves well back; the flames die down on their own in a few seconds. (The author)
- Safety: Chicken is safe when the thickest part of the thigh reaches 74 °C. (The author)