Delicious Coq au Vin
Instructions:
- In this perennial French favorite, chicken cooks in a rich blend of red wine, brandy, herbs, and sautéed vegetables until tender and unbelievably delicious. Serve with boiled new potatoes or over rice or noodles.
- 2 slices bacon (about 2 ounces), chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 medium carrots, cut into 1â„4-inch dice
- 2 medium stalks celery, cut into 1â„4-inch dice
- 1 bag (16 ounces) frozen pearl onions, thawed
- 10 ounces large mushrooms, each cut into quarters
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 chickens (about 4 pounds each), each cut into 8 pieces, skin removed
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 strips (3" by 1" each) fresh orange peel
- 3 tablespoons brandy
- 13â„4 cups dry red wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 3â„4 teaspoon salt
- 1â„4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 1â„4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- In 8-quart Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until browned. With slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off bacon fat from Dutch oven; reserve.
- In same Dutch oven, heat 1 teaspoon bacon fat and 2 teaspoons oil until hot. Add carrots, celery, and pearl onions and cook, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender and golden. Transfer vegetables to medium bowl.
- In same Dutch oven, heat 2 teaspoons bacon fat and 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add mushrooms and cook 8 minutes or until tender and browned. Add garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring. Transfer mushrooms and garlic to bowl with other vegetables.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to Dutch oven; add half of chicken pieces and cook over medium-high heat until browned; transfer to large bowl. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces.
- Reduce heat to medium; add tomato paste and orange peel, and cook 30 seconds, stirring. (Tomato paste will stick to bottom of pan and darken, helping to intensify the flavor of the broth.) Add brandy and cook 30 seconds, stirring.
- Return chicken pieces and vegetables to Dutch oven.Add wine, chicken broth, salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 30 minutes or until juices run clear when thickest part of chicken is pierced with tip of knife.
- Meanwhile, in cup, with fork, mix flour with cold water until blended; set aside.
- Transfer chicken to warm serving bowl. With slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to same bowl; cover and keep warm.
- Slowly whisk flour mixture into broth in Dutch oven; heat until mixture boils and thickens slightly, stirring frequently. Spoon broth over chicken and vegetables in bowl. Discard bay leaf. Sprinkle with reserved bacon before serving.
- P R E P 30 minutes
- C O O K 1 hour 45 minutes
- MA K E S 8 main-dish servings