Coq Au Vin

Cookbook - French cuisine - Meat - Recipes

Many French regions claim coq au vin, or chicken stew, as their own, but legend has it that the recipe originated with 's chef. Different variants exist throughout the country; the following recipe is one.

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients

• 1 (3 lb / 1.5 kg) Chicken, cut up
• 1 Onion, Dice
• 1 Carrot, Chop
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) Flour (Wheat or Rice)
• 1/2 tsp (3 ml) Salt
• 1/4 tsp (1 ml) Pepper
• 1/2 lb (200 g) small Mushrooms (optional)
• 1 cup (240 ml) Red wine
• 1 clove Garlic, Coobkook:Mince
• 1 tsp (5 ml) Basil, chopped and fresh

Directions

1. Mix flour, salt and pepper. Coat chicken, onion and carrot in flour mixture and set aside.
2. Sautéing mushrooms, set aside.
3. Brown the chicken pieces a few at a time, set aside.
4. Brown onions and carrots. Put chicken into large Casserole (pot) on medium-high heat along with onions, carrots and mushrooms.
5. Combine wine, garlic, and basil; pour over chicken. Cover the casserole, cook until chicken is ready (1-1.5 hours), stirring occasionally.

Variations

Nearly all recipes other than those altered for low-fat diets start with lardons, or their more available substitutes, unsmoked Bacon or Pancetta. The lardons are cooked, and the rendered fat used for browning the other ingredients, and (with the addition of the flour) to form the Roux which thickens the sauce. Generally, a full bottle of red wine is used, and brandy may be added.

Porcini mushrooms, while not particularly authentic, are good in this dish.

External links

Perfect Coq au Vin via The Observer