Coq au Vin - Page 2
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Then along came the spoil sports and Cuisine Minceur was the flavour of the month. While I persevered with Michel Guérard's recipes, I yearned to cheat. Fortunately today we seem to manage to strike a happy balance. I like to return to the French classics from time to time but also to strip away some of the "naughty" ingredients and streamline the cooking so one doesn't become a slave to the stove.
I dug out an old favourite, Coq au Vin, for The Spouse's birthday dinner the other night. Fortunately this dish is one of the less sinful ones. I used boned, skinless chicken thighs as the meat and didn't feel the least bit guilty. This particular cut also holds its moisture and tenderness - unlike chicken breast which can become a bit dry and chewy if subjected to too much cooking.
Traditionally this dish would be made with burgundy wine but a good smooth red is an acceptable substitute. The old rule of thumb applies - don't cook with a wine you wouldn't drink. And as this dish doesn't use the whole bottle, there's a wee bonus for the chef.
The dish is also traditionally finished with pureed chicken liver, chicken blood and cognac. Well, chicken blood isn't something you can lay your hands on every day and I don't think anyone will miss the chicken liver either. It just makes the sauce gritty.
Coq au Vin 2001
2kg chicken pieces
1/2 cup flour
salt and pepper
24 brown button mushrooms, cleaned
24 shallots or pickling onions, peeled
1 rasher streaky bacon, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons brandy
2 cups red wine
4 cloves garlic
one bayleaf, a sprig each of rosemary and thyme and a few sprigs of parsley, all tied together
Put the flour on a plate, season with salt and pepper and roll each chicken piece in the flour.
Heat the olive oil and saute the shallots, mushrooms and bacon for about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside and brown the chicken pieces. Remove these to a casserole dish.
Sprinkle the brandy into the pan and ignite. When the flame dies down, pour in the wine and stir the pan to remove all the cooking residue. Pour over the chicken, add the bouquet garni, garlic and season with salt and pepper, cover and bake for about 60 minutes in a medium oven. Add the mushrooms, bacon and shallots and cook a further 30 minutes or until the chicken is tender.
