I found this recipe on some group and saved it because it is
my favorite version ever!
T's Coq au Vin
T devised this recipe after our senses were inundated at the
Dijon weekly market while bicycling in Burgundy in 1996 and
wrote this up for our friends, who were suitably amazed by
this wonderful dish: An aside. The French often use lardons
in much of their cooking. Lardons are small pieces of cubed
very smoky bacon. The idea here is that they render the fat
out of the lardons and use it to brown onions or chicken or
whatever. In this recipe I *have* used lardons and it does
add a kind of smoky complexity, which is very good, however
it also adds a lot of cholesterol. The last two times I made
it I used a good olive oil and, while I noticed a
difference, it was very good. I think I'll probably use
olive oil most the time from here on in.
We saw this being cooked in an outdoor market in Dijon (in
Burgundy). The smell was amazing and I have taken my cues
from there. I *never* cook from a recipe so I'm winging this
a bit with regard to exact measurements. I taste and adjust
all the time. This may differ from many French recipes - it
is purely my own. As an assurance we ate Coq au Vin on many
occasions in France. This is as good or better than any.
Coq au Vin
6 - 8 skinless chicken pieces (I use chicken thighs 'cause I
think they give the best texture) 1 large onion, diced
1/4 cup olive oil (just use what you think you need - I just
throw some in the pan.)
2/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of thyme salt and pepper 2 to 4 Tbsp all-
purpose flour (again - it's your call) 1 teaspoon of sugar
(more about this later) 2 whole carrots (or cut them in
half if you prefer) 4 - 6 cloves of garlic 1 *whole*
bottle dry red wine (being a dish from the region of
Burgundy, they use local red Burgundy. Wines made from
Pinot Noir - the grape variety local to the region-are
very expensive. I use a Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile that
costs about $8.00. Whatever you use try to make it a
decent wine. It's just better.)
Make sure the skin is off the chicken. Add salt and pepper
to the flour and coat the chicken pieces. Reserve whatever
flour is left over. In a large frying pan and over Med-High
heat brown the chicken pieces in olive oil to a kind of
light golden color. Set chicken pieces aside, then sauti
onions in leftover oil, then throw in the minced garlic so
that they all cook to a light golden color at the same
time. Put in the rest of the reserved flour just as the
onions and garlic are done. (The idea is to try and coat
the flour with as much oil as possible to stop it from
globbing in the stew - if it gets a bit gummy in the frying
pan, don't worry. Don't add more oil. It isn't necessary)
Place everything *except the sugar* into a large pot and
cover with the wine. You can clean out the frying pan with
some of the wine before throwing it all in the pot. Cook
the chicken covered covered 1/2 to 3/4 of an hour so that
the chicken is just above a simmer. (A very light bubble)
Then remove the cover and cook for another 1/2 to 3/4 of an
hour. When done the chicken should be just on the verge of
wanting to fall off the bone. (That's probably more for
chicken thighs, than for breasts) *Take out the carrot - it
was just there for flavour.* At this point, if your sauce
has not reduced to about
3/3 of it's original volume, take out the chicken and finish
the sauce. The sauce should be silky - and thick enough to
coat a spoon. Taste - and season further with salt and
pepper and more thyme if needed. I sometimes throw in a
little Cognac or Brandy to beef it up if I am in the mood.
When done add the chicken again. I cook this in the
morning and let it sit on the kitchen counter until it's
time for dinner then re-heat it. This allows time for the
flavours to meld. I usually serve with baked potatoes and
a vegetable. A word about the sugar; I always add a little
to this recipe. The wine can become quite [censored]. But it's
up to you. Add a little - then taste and add some more if
you think you need it. Tasting and adjusting is
everything. It lets me off the hook if you don't like what
you've prepared.
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