We had a really lovely coq au vin last night with close friends, sitting outside on the patio. It was one of those really simple recipes that is full of flavor and you can make ahead and put in the fridge overnight.
The depth of flavor to this dish is huge, especially as you caramelize the onions and mushrooms separately then add to the chicken them halfway through the cooking.
One time I served it with mashed cauliflower and a tomato, mozzarella, basil, avocado and red onion salad and it was divine. Another time I served it with mashed sweet potato and my “Easy cheesy zucchini bake” and it also went down a treat.
Serves 4 to 6
2 oz bacon fat or olive oil
4 – 5lbs chicken legs and thighs, seasoned well with salt and pepper
6 thick slices bacon, chopped
3 celery stalks, peeled and chopped
3 good sized leeks, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp flour
20 fl oz good red wine (one you would drink)
4 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tsp herbes de Provence
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper
12 oz cremini or baby portabello mushrooms, sliced
A 14 oz bag of frozen pearl onions, defrosted then dried with paper towels.
3 oz butter
Preheat the oven to 325F
Heat the bacon fat or olive oil in a flameproof casserole dish with a lid, like Le Creuset. Add the seasoned chicken pieces and brown on all sides.
Transfer them to a plate. Add the bacon, celery, leeks and garlic to the casserole and fry until the bacon is crisp. Stir in the flour and cook gently until it becomes a paste. Gradually add the wine, herbs and salt and pepper, stirring. Bring to the boil.
Return the chicken to the casserole, cover and put into the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, fry the onions and mushrooms in the butter for 5 to 10 minutes until nicely caramelized. After the 45 minutes are up, add them to the casserole, and stir well.
Re-cover and continue to cook for 1 hour or until the chicken is well cooked through.