Coq Au Vin

This yummy Coq Au Vin recipe comes again from our Tasting Room Manager, Nancy. She is a culinary goddess who lived for a while in France. Her recipe is based on a Julia Child recipe with some modifications and the inclusion of Two Amigos Wines. Nancy uses either our Tirare il Dito or our Cuvee Classico and then serves that wine with the dish as well. Bon Appétit!!

Ingredients:

1 bottle Two Amigos Cuvee Classico or Tirare il Dito
6 oz of lean bacon

2 T butter

2 cut-up chickens or 8 chicken pieces (thighs and breasts)

½ tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

¼ cup cognac

1-3 cups chicken stock, best quality

½ T tomato paste

2-4 cloves garlic, minced

¼ tsp thyme

1-2 bay leaves

20-24 peeled white onions, about 1 inch in diameter

1 ½ T butter

1 ½ T olive oil

½ cup beef bouillon

Herb bouquet: 4 parsley sprigs, 1 bay leaf, ¼ tsp thyme tied in cheesecloth

½ lb fresh mushrooms

2 T butter

1 T olive oil

2 T minced shallots

3 T flour

2 T softened butter

Directions:

1.     Remove the rind and cut the bacon into lardons (1 inch by 1.4 inch). Simmer for 10 minutes in water. Rinse in cold water and dry.

2.     Sauté the bacon slowly in hot butter in a heavy fry pan until it is lightly browned. Remove to side dish.

3.     Dry the chicken pieces thoroughly. Brown the chicken in the butter in the pan. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, return the bacon to the fry pan with the chicken.

4.     Cover and cook slowly for 10-20 minutes, turning the chicken once.

5.     Uncover, pour in the cognac. Ignite the cognac with a match averting your face. Shake the pan back and forth until the flames subside.

6.     Pour the bottle of wine into the pan. Add just enough stock to cover the chicken. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic and herbs. Bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer slowly for 1 hour or more until the chicken juices run clear yellow when the meat is pricked with a fork.

7.     While the chicken is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms.

8.     Heat butter and oil in a skillet; add the onions and sauté over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, being careful not to break the skins.

9.     Pour in the bouillon, salt and pepper to taste, add herb bouquet. Cover and simmer slowly for up to 50 minutes until onions are tender, but retain their shape, and the liquid is evaporated. Remove the herb bouquet and set aside.

10. Place the skillet over high heat with the butter and oil. When the butter begins to foam, add the mushrooms. Shake and toss the pan for 4-5 minutes. As soon as the mushrooms have begun to brown, remove the pan from the heat.

11. Toss the shallots with the mushrooms and sauté over medium heat for 2 minutes. Set aside.

12. Picking up at #6, remove the chicken to a side dish and simmer the liquid in the pan for a minute or two, skimming off the fat. Then raise the heat and boil rapidly, reducing the liquid to about 2 ¼ cups. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaves.

13. Blend the butter and flour together into a smooth paste. Beat the paste into the hot liquid with a wire whip. Bring to a simmer while stirring. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.

14. Arrange the chicken in the pan, place the mushrooms and onions around the chicken and baste with the sauce. If the dish is not to be served immediately, set aside uncovered. It can wait indefinitely.

15. Slowly, before serving, bring to a simmer, basting the chicken with the sauce. Cover and simmer slowly for 4-5 minutes until the chicken is hot through.

16. Serve the chicken on each plate. Decorate with fresh parsley and serve with parsley potatoes.

17. Serve TAW Cuvee Classico or Tirare il Dito with the meal!!! Yum!!!

Makes 4-6 servings