Coq au Vin Recipe

• Julia Child Recipes,
• Traditional French Recipes,
• and Dinner Party Recipes.

Coq au Vin

Ingredients:

• 16 Chicken legs and thighs
• 2 carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 celery stalk, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 leek, while part only
• 2 large sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 4 large sprigs of fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbs. peppercorns (tied in cheese cloth)
• 8 cups of full-bodied red wine
• 6 tablespoon butter
• Salt and pepper

Garnish:

• 24 pearl onions
• 4 ounces of baby shitake mushrooms, sliced 1/2 thick
• 6 ounces of bacon, cut into 1/2 inch strips
• 4 ounces of button mushroom, capped and quartered
• 6 sprigs of fresh thyme or rosemary

Put chicken, carrots, celery, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves and peppercorns into a large pot and cover with 5 cups of wine. Marinate for 24 hours, turning the chicken occasionally.

After the chicken has marinated, strain the liquid through a sieve and reserve. Pat chicken dry.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoon of butter and add chicken skin side down. Brown chicken on all sides. Transfer chicken to a large saucepan or dutch oven.

In the same skillet used for the chicken, saute the marinated vegetables in 2 tablespoons of butter. Cook until they start to turn brown. Add the vegetables to the chicken.

Meanwhile, put the reserved marinade in a saucepan and bring to a rapid boil to reduce the liquid by half.

Add the remaining wine and chicken stock to the saucepan and bring to a slow simmer.

Then pour the sauce over chicken and vegetables and cook on the stovetop over medium heat for 30 minutes. Strain chicken, reserve liquid, and discard vegetables. Keep chicken warm by placing it in the oven.

Return the sauce to the saucepan. Reduce it again by two-thirds (until it has thickened). Add 1 tablespoon of butter and whisk. When the chicken is ready to serve, return it to the sauce and bring to a low simmer.

For garnish, heat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan, saute cleaned pearl onions in 1 tablespoon of butter until lightly browned. Add 1/2 cup of chicken stock and cover. Cook for 20 minutes until onions are tender.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a saute pan, until just done. Transfer to a bowl. Saute mushrooms in bacon fat until they are soft. Salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange chicken on a serving platter and place garnish on top of chicken.

Spoon the sauce over the chicken and garnish.

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