Coq au vin

 

A chicken you can't get tired of,  Coq au vin is a French dish that will get your tongue wagging for more! A fabulous dish basically meaning rooster with wine,  it is a great dish that you cannot afford to miss. Coq au vin packs a whole punch of flavors that will increase the intensity of that finger licking goodness. You can't afford not to know how to cook it! That's why this is our second stop in the Top Ten Popular Foods in France! 

Coq au vin is a French dish of chicken braised with wine, lardons, mushrooms and occasionally garlic. Red wine is typically used although there are varient forms of coq au vin by using local wine such as Coq au champagne and coq au jaune.

Ingredients! 

8 ounces sliced bacon

4 pounds chicken quarters (legs with thighs attached)

20 peeled pearl sized onions or 1 large yellow onion sliced

6 garlic cloves, peeled

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 cups chicken stock

2 cups red wine (pinot noir, burgundy or zinfandel)

2 bay leaves 

2 fresh thyme sprigs

2 fresh parsley sprigs

8 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and slices or quartered

2 tablespoons butter

Chopped fresh parsley - for garnish 

How to make Coq au vin 

1) Blanch the bacon by dropping the bacon into a saucepan with enough cold water to cover it by a couple of inches. Bring it to a boil, simmer for five minutes, then drain. Rinse in cold water, pat dry with paper towels. Cut the bacon into 1 inch by 1/4 inch pieces. 

2) Brown the bacon by heating a Dutch oven large enough to hold the chicken on medium or high heat. Add the bacon piece and cook them until browned. Use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked bacon and set aside. 

3) Brown the chicken and onions by keeping the bacon fat in the pan. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season all sides with salt and pepper. Work in batches if necessary and add the chicken and skin side down to the hot pan. Brown the chicken well on all sides, about 10 minutes. Add the onions and garlic and cook a few minutes more. Spoon off any excess fat from the pot. 

4) Add chicken stock, wine, herbs, bacon then simmer. Lower heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until chicken is tender and cooked through. Remove chicken and onions to a separate platter. Remove the bay leaves, herb sprigs and garlic,  and discard. 

5) Make a sauce with the mushrooms with the remaining liquid and increase the heat to high. Boil quickly to reduce the liquid by three fourths until it becomes thick and saucy. 

6) Finish the sauce and serve the street by lowering the heat, then stir in the butter. Return the chicken and onions to the pan to reheat and coat with the sauce. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with parsley and serve with potatoes or over egg noodles. 

And there we have it! Your flavorful coq au vin is served! Enjoy! 

Ingredients and instructions sourced from: www.simplyrecipes.com

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/coq_au_vin/

Image from www.dreamstime.com