Retro party recipe for 6 people, takes only 20 mins; recipe has olive oil, back bacon, shallot, chicken leg, chicken thigh, chicken breast, garlic clove, brandy, red wine, chicken stock, tomato puree, thyme, flat-leaf parsley, olive oil, chestnut mushroom, plain flour, olive oil and softened butter.
Coq au vin
Course: Retro party
Servings
6
servings
Prep time
25 mins
Ingredients
- Red Wine: 600ml red wine
- Flat Leaf Parsley: small handful chopped flat-leaf parsley, to garnish
- Garlic Clove: 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Chicken Breast: 2 free-range, skinless, boneless chicken breasts (280g)
- Olive Oil: 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- Tomato Puree: 2 tsp tomato puree
- Thyme: 3 thyme sprigs, 2 rosemary sprigs and 2 bay leaves, to make a bouquet garni
- Shallot: 12 small shallots, peeled
- Chicken Stock: 150ml good-quality chicken stock
- Plain Flour: 2 tbsp plain flour
- Chicken Leg: 2 free-range chicken legs (460g), skin removed
- Chestnut Mushroom: 250g chestnut mushroom, halved if large
- Chicken Thigh: 4 free-range chicken thighs with bone and skin (650g), skin removed
- Brandy: 3 tbsp brandy or Cognac
- Back Bacon: 3 rashers (100g) dry-cured, smoked back bacon, fat trimmed, chopped
- Softened Butter: 1 tsp softened butter
Directions
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large, heavy-basedsaucepanor flameproof dish. Tip in 3 trimmed and chopped smoked back bacon rashers and fry until crisp. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.
- Add 12 peeled shallots to the pan and fry, stirring or shaking the pan often, for 5-8 mins until well browned all over. Remove and set aside with the bacon.
- Take 2 chicken legs, 4 chicken thighs and 2 boneless chicken breasts, all with skin removed and pat dry with kitchen paper.
- Pour 1/2 tbsp olive oil into the pan, then fry half the chicken pieces, turning regularly, for 5-8 mins until well browned. Remove, then repeat with the remaining chicken. Remove and set aside.
- Scatter in 3 finely chopped garlic cloves and fry briefly, then, with the heat medium-high, pour in 3 tbsp brandy or Cognac, stirring the bottom of the pan to deglaze. The alcohol should sizzle and start to evaporate so there is not much left.
- Return the chicken legs and thighs to the pan along with any juices, then pour in a little of 600ml red wine, stirring the bottom of the pan again.
- Stir in the rest of the wine, 150ml good-quality chicken stock and 2 tsp tomato puree. Drop in 3 thyme sprigs, 2 rosemary sprigs and 2 bay leaves to make a bouquet garni, season with pepper and a pinch of salt, then return the bacon and shallots to the pan.
- Cover, lower the heat to a gentle simmer, add the chicken breasts and cook for 50 mins - 1hr.
- Just before ready to serve, heat 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add 250g chestnut mushrooms, halved if large, and fry over a high heat for a few mins until golden. Remove and keep warm.
- Lift the chicken, shallots and bacon from the pan and transfer to a warmed serving dish. Remove the bouquet garni.
- To make the thickener, mix 2 tbsp plain flour, 1 1/2 tsp olive oil and 1 tsp softened butter in a small bowl using the back of a teaspoon.
- Bring the wine mixture to a gentle boil, then gradually drop in small pieces of the thickener, whisking each piece in using a wire whisk. Simmer for 1-2 mins.
- Scatter the mushrooms over the chicken, then pour over the wine sauce. Garnish with a handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley.
