Coq au Vin

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             FOOD FUNNY
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Rosemary Zwick knows I love a good one-liner:
 
My wife dresses to kill. She cooks the same way.

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             TODAY'S RECIPE
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This is one of the most fabled of classic French dishes, the mere
mention of which used to inspire awe in the typical home cook who
assumed it was beyond their capability. Then along came Julia Child and
showed us all how easy it was, and American kitchens haven't been the same since.

Con au Vin

4 oz (100 g) slab bacon, cut into 1/4x1/4x1-inch (5x5x25 mm) pieces
1 frying chicken, cut into serving pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup (60 ml) cognac
3 cups (750 ml) full-bodied red wine such as Burgundy, Beaujolais, or Chianti
1-2 cups (250-500 ml) beef stock
2 tsp (10 ml) tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, mashed
1/4 tsp (1 ml) dried thyme
1 bay (laurel) leaf
2 Tbs (30 ml) butter
12-18 small onions, peeled
1/2 lb (225 g) mushrooms

For the beurre manie:
3 Tbs (45 ml) all-purpose flour
2 Tbs (30 ml) butter at room temperature

Fresh parsley sprigs for garnish

Saute the bacon in a large, heavy pot over moderate heat until it is
lightly browned. Remove and reserve the bacon. Season the chicken with
salt and pepper and brown it on all sides in the rendered bacon fat.
Return the bacon to the pot, reduce the heat, and simmer covered for 10
minutes. Add the cognac and ignite carefully with a match, shaking the
pot back and forth gently until the flame subsides. Add the wine, enough
stock to just cover the chicken, and stir in the tomato paste, garlic,
thyme, and bay leaf. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat half
the butter in a skillet over moderate heat and saute the onions until
lightly browned. Reduce the heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes,
until the onions are tender. Saute the mushrooms in the remaining butter
and set aside. Make the beurre manie by blending the flour and butter
until smooth. Remove the chicken from the pot and raise the heat. Skim
off as much fat as possible and boil the sauce until it has reduced to
about 2 cups (500 ml). Whisk the beurre manie into the sauce and boil
until it has thickened slightly. Arrange the chicken on a serving
platter, surround with the onions and mushrooms, and spoon the sauce
over all. Garnish with parsley sprigs.
Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Thu Mar 12 17:53:06 2009