Coq au Vin
Tom Ashworth Demo- Makes
- 8 servings
- Active
- 44 min
- Total
- 1 h 40 min
You’ll Need Flameproof casserole with a lid or electric skillet or deep sauté pan, Two frying pans, Saucepan, Wire whisk
Method
Bacon and Chicken
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Cut the rind off and slice the bacon into sticks about 2.5 cm (1 in) long and 6 mm (¼ in) thick.
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Simmer the bacon sticks in for . Drain, rinse in cold water and dry well.
95 °C[object Object]
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Sauté the bacon slowly in 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.
127 °Cthe bacon is pale gold, not crisp -
Dry thoroughly in a towel. Raise the heat (182 °C in an electric skillet) and brown the pieces on all sides in the hot fat.
182 °Cgolden brown all overthe skin releases from the pan without tearing[object Object]
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Season the chicken with and , return the bacon, cover and cook slowly (149 °C) for , turning the chicken once.
149 °C[object Object]
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Uncover, pour in and light it with a match. Shake the pan back and forth for several seconds until the flames die down.
the flames have gone out on their own
Simmering in Red Wine
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Pour over the chicken and add just enough to cover it. Stir in , , and .
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Bring to a simmer, cover and simmer slowly for about , until the chicken is tender. Start the onions and mushrooms meanwhile.
a fork slides easily into the thickest piecethe juices from the thigh run clear[object Object]
Brown-Braised Onions
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Drop into a pan of boiling water, bring it back to the boil and boil for . Drain.
[object Object]
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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.
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Heat in a frying pan, add the onions and toss them for several minutes until lightly browned.
patchy brown all over[object Object]
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Pour in water to come halfway up the onions, add , cover and simmer slowly for , until tender.
a knife slides into the centre without resistance[object Object]
Sautéed Mushrooms
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Trim the base of the stems from , 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.
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Heat and in a frying pan. When the foam is bubbling hot, add the mushrooms and sauté over high heat for , until lightly browned.
the mushrooms squeak and turn golden at the edges[object Object]
Sauce and Serving
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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.
about two and a quarter cups of liquid leftit tastes rich, not thin -
Take the pan off the heat. Blend and to a smooth paste in a saucer and beat it into the liquid with a wire whisk.
no lumps of paste left -
Bring back to the simmer, stirring, and simmer for until the sauce has thickened.
the sauce lightly coats a spoon[object Object]
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Scrape in the onions and mushrooms and simmer for to blend the flavours. Taste carefully, adding salt and pepper if needed, then pour the sauce over the chicken.
Cool, cover and refrigerate for a day or two. -
Shortly before serving, bring to a simmer while basting the chicken with the sauce, then cover and simmer slowly for , just until the chicken is hot through. Do not overcook it now.
[object Object]
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Serve from the casserole, or arrange on a hot platter and decorate with .
From Tom Ashworth
This is the classic as Julia Child taught it on The French Chef: blanched bacon, chicken browned in its fat and flamed with cognac, a short simmer in Burgundy, and a sauce thickened at the end with butter and flour. The onions and mushrooms are cooked separately so each keeps its own character. Like most braises it is even better made a day ahead.
Notes
- The wine: a young, full-bodied red such as Burgundy, Mâcon or Chianti. Serve the same wine at the table.
- The chicken: a cut-up frying chicken of about 1.2 kg. Today's young birds are tender after half an hour in the wine; longer cooking only dries them out.
- Blanching the bacon takes away the smoky, salty edge so it does not take over the sauce.
- The sauce: you want about 2 1/4 cups of cooking liquid before thickening. If it tastes thin, boil it down first.
- Serve with parsley potatoes, rice or noodles, buttered peas or a green salad, and plenty of bread.
Storage
Keeps for 2 days in the fridge, covered, in its sauce.
Make Ahead
Finish the dish up to the point where the sauce is poured over the chicken, cool, cover and refrigerate for a day or two. Reheat gently just before serving.
When to Start
Plan backwards from a time
Filed under Main · Western Europe › France · Poultry › Chicken · Stew · Braising · Coq au Vin. Tags: #dinner party, #make-ahead, #red wine.
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