Coq au vin

Coq au vin, pronounced kohk-oh-vahn, is a very classic French dish that includes chicken, bacon, wine and a few other ingredients The one and only time I had this dish I remember that I wasn’t super impressed. I was even eating it in France, prepared by a real French person. Nevertheless, when I saw it again in one of Julia Child’s cookbooks I decided to give it a go. Mainly because, God bless Julia, it looked easy to prepare. One of the reasons, I believe, that Julia was so wildly successful was that she explained everything in grand detail. She really makes you feel like, yes, I can do that too! So when I reread the recipe I wanted to try it. However, sometimes even Julia went a little over board with her directions, so I thought about how I could make this still true to form but just a little simpler, and of course, faster. What turned out was an excellent version of coq au vin, if I don’t say so myself. I found the sauce to be so fantastic I almost wanted to drink it. But maybe I felt that way because I have been eating very healthy, with no butter, no bacon fat, and no wine to go along with my New Year’s goals. This is my version, but if you would like Julia’s you can find one in The French Chef Cookbook, p. 76.

4 slices bacon, cut into matchsticks

Cooking oil

Frying chicken, cut into pieces

Salt and pepper

¼ cup cognac or brandy

3 cups red wine; Julia suggests Burgundy, Chianti or California Mountain Red wine; I used a Chianti

3-4 cups beef stock or bouillon

1 Tbsp. tomato paste

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ tsp. dried thyme

2 bay leaves

1 large onion, sliced thick

½ lb. mushrooms, cleaned and quartered

Butter

Flour

In a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, sauté bacon with 2 Tbsp. oil until browned. Remove bacon, leaving fat. Season chicken with salt and pepper on all sides. Over medium-high heat brown chicken on all sides in the bacon fat. When chicken is browned return bacon to pan, cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, turning chicken once. Uncover, pour in brandy, and light with match. (Be careful! Flames will come up from the dish!) Shake pan back and forth until flames subside.

Pour wine into pan, and add just enough beef stock to cover chicken. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes or until chicken is tender when pierced with a fork. If chicken was not fully covered by stock turn chicken once halfway through cooking.

While chicken is cooking, in a large skillet sauté onions and mushrooms with 1 Tbsp. butter and 2 Tbsp. cooking oil until lightly browned and tender.

When chicken is done, remove from pan. Skim off fat and boil down to concentrate flavors. While sauce is boiling, in a separate sauce pan melt 2 Tbsp. butter. When melted add 3 Tbsp. flour, whisking until incorporated. Add butter and flour mixture to sauce, whisking well. Bring sauce to a simmer and cook until thickened. Off heat add mushrooms and onions to sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Add chicken back to sauce. Serve as is or with rice, noodles, or potatoes.

If making this ahead of time, when reheating simmer chicken and sauce on low until chicken is just heated through. Do not boil, chicken will overcook.