Coq au Vin

I was inspired to make this dish after seeing a TV show where the host got a bit emotional, saying that coq au vin has always brought memories of her childhood. (I can relate to this notion - everytime I come home with a headache I always remember how my mom's freshly cooked sinigang or sinampalukang manok  (my all time favorites) with hot steaming rice would make it all go away.) It did remind me of our previous trip to Paris, and we just had to order one, for that 'authentic coq au vin experience' :)

This was my first attempt at cooking coq au vin - literally 'rooster in wine' - which was traditionally made of rooster marinated in wine, mainly to relax the tough meat. If using chicken, this step may be skipped as the meat itself will not really need to be tenderized, but won't hurt if you're after a more intense flavor. I made the quicker version and based the recipe from this link  at Gourmet Traveller.

Coq au Vin
serves 8

olive oil

90g softened butter

1 whole chicken (around 1 kg), jointed

bacon or pancetta, diced (i used speck)

16 small brown onions or pickling onions

1-2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

24 button mushrooms (or a combination of different mushroom types)

1 bottle of red wine (i used Chemin de Papes)

4 sprigs parsley

3 bay leaves

6 sprigs thyme

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp flour

6 sprigs parsley, minced

I like to use a whole chicken because other than the joy of butchering (*evil laughter*) the carcass can be used to make chicken stock. Once you get used to jointing a chicken, you'd find it's a quick and easy process. You can also trim as much of the excess fat as you like.

before

...and after

Heat the olive oil and a quarter of the butter and brown the chicken pieces. Transfer on to a plate and drain excess fat, keep warm.  

the brown bits make a huge difference in flavor!

In the same pan, add the speck (or bacon/pancetta, whatever you have) and render the fat. Add the onions and cook for around 5-7 minutes, until slightly golden or caramelized. 

Add chicken back to the pan, pour the wine (almost the entire bottle, but leave a glass' worth for the cook!), stock, herbs, garlic and season with salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 45min.

i tied the herbs with kitchen twine to make a bouquet garni, making it easier to fish out later!

Meanwhile, cook the mushrooms in olive oil. Set aside.

When the chicken is cooked, sieve the cooking liquid into a clean saucepan and set the chicken and onions aside and keep warm. Cook over medium heat and let simmer until around a third of its amount has been reduced.

keep warm!

Make a paste out of the remaining butter and flour (a french technique for thickening sauces, called beurre manie) and whisk it into the sauce until it has thickened and coats the back of a spoon.

just mash em up!

Now to bring it all together!

Return the chicken and onions into the sauce, add the mushrooms and let them all heat through. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with mashed potatoes, or fondant potatoes, or rice, or polenta... and maybe some more wine ;)


The dish received rave reviews from my official reviewer! :p

the coq au vin at Saint Michel restaurant, along the Seine, in Paris

(related previous post here)