Coq au Vin
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE MARINADE:
750ml red wine
2 carrots thickly sliced
3 stalks celery thickly sliced
1 onion cut into thin wedges
3 cloves garlic crushed
3 shallots halved
2 tsp black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
10 sprigs of thyme
“THIS DISH IS LOVELY AND RICH - IT'S CLASSIC FRENCH. WILL BE A BIG REWARD FOR A VERY BIG COOK”
4 or 5 chicken maryland
250g of speck trimmed and cut into 5mm cubes
2 cloves garlic crushed
¼ cup brandy
¼ cup plain flour
2 cups chicken stock
100g butter
8 shallots
1 tbs caster sugar
300g buttton mushrooms
parsley for garnish
To make the marinade, place the ingredients and a teaspoon of salt to a large saucepan, and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, and for flavours to infuse with the wine.
Place chicken in a marinade dish, and pour over the marinade mixture. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but overnight is better. Turn occasionally.
Remove the chicken from the marinade mixture and pat dry with a paper towel. Strain the marinade into a bowl, remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves and reserve the vegetable mixture as well as the marinade liquid.
Heat an electric frypan to about 170 degrees, and cook the speck until fat is rendered golden. Remove from the pan and reserve on paper towel.
Add the chicken to the pan skin side down and brown in 2 batches for 3 minutes each side or until golden. Transfer to a bowl and drain all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan, and then add reserved vegetable mixture with the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
Add the brandy and carefully light with a long match. Allow flame to burn out, then stir in the flour. Gradually stir in the stock, and then the reserved marinade. Return the chicken to the pan, and cook partially covered for 1½ hours until chicken is falling off the bone.
Meanwhile, heat half the butter in a saucepan med/high heat. Add the shallots and sugar and cook stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, or until shallots caramelise. Add 125ml of water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 8 minutes or until syrupy.
Heat the remaining 50g butter in a pan over med/high heat. Add the mushrooms and toss for 5 minutes or until golden. Season with salt and pepper.
Add speck, shallots and mushroom mixture to the coq au vin, and stir over a medium heat to warm through. Garnish with parsley while serving.
Serves four - one Maryland each.
Actually not too hard, but set an afternoon aside for it.
SERVE WITH SIMPLE GREENS SUCH AS STEAMED BEANS OR SNOW PEAS. IT'S A VERY RICH AND FILLING DISH, SO IT DOESN'T NEED MUCH OF ANYTHING TO ACCOMPANY IT.
I USE AN ELECTRIC FRYPAN FOR COOKING THE CHICKEN, BUT YOU CAN USE A LARGE FRYING PAN WITH A LID IF YOU WISH. BUT THE CHICKEN NEEDS TO BE IN A SINGLE LAYER.