Coq au Vin (Chicken cooked in wine)

Coq au Vin (Chicken cooked in wine)

Coq au Vin is a classic French dish of chicken cooked in red wine, a surprisingly easy way to make delectable chicken. Especially for Bastille Day on 14th July.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons Olivado extra virgin olive oil
• 3 rashers Heller’s streaky bacon
• 12 pickling size onions
• 400g bag Meadows White Button Mushrooms
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 Waitoa whole chicken legs
• 2 tablespoons brandy
• 2 1/2 cups red wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 sprigs fresh Italian parsley
• 1 sprig thyme
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley to garnish

How to make Coq au Vin

1. Cut the bacon into thin strips. Peel the onions. Wipe and trim the mushrooms.
2. Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan and cook the bacon. Place in a casserole dish. Add the onions and mushrooms to the frying pan and saute for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Mix the flour, salt and pepper together in a plastic bag. Toss the whole chicken legs in the seasoned flour. Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan and brown the chicken pieces on all sides, then place into the casserole dish.
4. Pour the brandy into the pan, and use a wooden spoon to release the sediment from the base of the pan. Warm the brandy, pour over the chicken and carefully ignite, using a long taper if possible. When the flames subside, place chicken in a casserole dish. Add wine to brandy in pan.
5. Stir to remove pan sediment. Pour over chicken. Tie the parsley, bay leaf and thyme together to form a bouquet garni.
6. Crush, peel and slice garlic. Add bouquet garni and garlic to the casserole. Cover and cook at 180C for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Mix the flour and water together and stir into the chicken. Add the mushroom and onions and cook for a further 30 minutes.
7. Remove the bouquet garni and garlic and discard. Sprinkle casserole with chopped parsley.