Coq au vin
The coq au vin is a historic recipe. In the past it was used to celebrate the end of the harvest, but its origin remains uncertain. Alsace, Bordeaux, Champagne and Auvergne compete for the paternity of this delicious dish. According to legend, it would have to go back to the time of the conquest of Gaul. The people of Arverne besieged by the Romans would have sent a cock, symbol of bravery and determination, to the enemy camp to taunt him. To answer this provocation, Julius Caesar invited the Gaulish chief to dinner. At the time, wine was a luxury product, synonymous with wealth and therefore power. The chef was ordered to prepare the Gallic cock in order to impress the chef Arverne (a real cock-fight!). They both feasted on what you guessed it was none other than the cock in the wine!
Ingredients (Serve 6)
- 1 whole cock (or table hen)
- 750 ml red wine ( Pinot noir...)
- 1 sprig of fresh thyme
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 80g butter, softened
- 115g thick slice of bacon, diced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 15g tomato paste
- 30 ml brandy or cognac
- 375 ml chicken broth
- 30 ml flour
- 225 g button mushrooms, sliced
- 170 g pearled, peeled and whitened onions
- 30g chopped flat parsley (optionnal)
Directions
- In a glass dish or a large hermetically sealed bag, combine chicken, wine and herbs.
- Cover the dish or close the bag. Refrigerate 12 hours or overnight. Turn the chicken in the marinade 1 or 2 times
- Drain and pat dry the chicken pieces and keep the marinade. Discard the herbs.
- In a large non stick frypan over medium-high heat, brown the chicken pieces in 2 tsp. of butter.
- Salt and pepper. Reserve on a large plate.
- In a large saucepan or casserole over medium heat, brown the bacon in 1 tsp. of butter.
- Add onion and garlic.
- Continue cooking for 2 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and continue cooking for 1 minute.
- Deglaze with cognac.
- Pour broth and marinade in reserved red wine.
- Reduce the sauce by one third.
- Add chicken and bay leaf.
- Cover and simmer for 1 hour over medium-low heat or until flesh of the thigh easily detaches from the bone.
- In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp. butter and flour until mixture is smooth.
- Reserve the handled butter.
- In the frying pan over medium-high heat, brown the mushrooms and pearled onions in the remaining butter.
- Salt and pepper.
- Using a skimmer, remove the chicken pieces and the bacon from the sauce. Reserve on a large plate. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium heat.
- Add the handled butter whisking until it thickens.
- Return chicken and bacon.
- Add reserved mushrooms and onions.
- Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Adjust seasoning.
- Sprinkle chopped parsley.