COQ AU VIN (FRANCE)

(Literally meaning rooster in wine, this recipe is the heart and soul of French cuisine)

 

Ingredients

For the marinade

1 bottle good-quality red wine

1 tbsp red currant jelly

1 small onion, chopped)

1 celery, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

4 garlic cloves, unpeeled, bruised

3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

2 cloves

For the stew

4 large chicken joints (thigh or leg), skinned

1 tbsp olive oil (plus extra for shallow frying)

100 gm pancetta (rind removed, cut into large cubes)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tbsp plain flour

25 gm butter

20 button onions, peeled

20 button mushrooms

3 tbsp cognac

3-4 tbsp fresh parsley

Method

• Place the marinade ingredients into a casserole dish and bring it to a boil. Allow the volume of liquid to reduce by one-third and strain into a clean, non-reactive bowl and set aside to cool. Place the chicken pieces into the marinade, cover and leave to chill in the fridge for at least 5-6 hours or, preferably, overnight.
• Warm the olive oil in a casserole dish and gently fry the pancetta until golden-brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
• Remove the chicken joints from the marinade, setting the liquid aside. Season the chicken joints with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dredge the joints in the flour, and then fry until golden-brown in a little olive oil. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Add the butter to a dish and throw in the onions and mushrooms and fry gently for 10 minutes, or until golden-brown. Remove any excess fat with a spoon and return the chicken and pancetta to the pot, turn up the heat and pour over the cognac. Set alight, allow the flames to die down and then add the reserved, reduced wine. Gently simmer for one hour.

(Alternatively, cook the casserole in an oven preheated to 170C/325F/Gas 3.)