This coq au vin dish is one breathtaking dish that requires lots of time and attention! The return is quite satisfying, so no regrets! The smell of the chicken and wine penetrates my dining room almost to the bedroom! It is delicious and special and normally cannot be eaten unless we go to some very nice French restaurants. The recipe comes from the book Botanical, featuring a great restaurant from Melbourne. I basically love all the recipes in the book, although sometimes I cut the ingredients like cream and butter somewhat because of their richness. If you have got plenty of time and love chicken, this is probably a dish you will enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 x 2.4 kg free-range chicken
1 1/2 litres shiraz (or other red wine)
1 red onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 head of garlic, halved horizontally
4 field mushrooms, sliced
8 large shallots
1/2 tsp crushed black peppercorns
2 cinnamon sticks
1 star anise
1/2 tsp crushed juniper berries
100 ml extra-virgin olive oil
50 ml olive oil
150 g quince paste
1 litre chicken stock
1 litre veal jus
1 bouquet garni for Meat
1 Tbsp sugar
Serve with sauteed mushrooms, sundried tomatoes frittata, and French bread croutons
Steps:
1. Remove the chicken legs and cut between the joint of the drumstick and thigh. Cut out the chicken breast and half widthwise. Cut out chicken wings. Place chicken pieces into deep container and cover with shiraz, then add the vegetables and spices. Massage into the chicken pieces and drizzle with EV olive oil and marinate overnight or for at least 6-8 hrs.
2. Once marinated, drain the chicken, vegetables and spices. Pass the wine through a fine strainer into a saucepan. Bring gently to the boil over a very low heat. As the wine boils remove the foam on the surface with a tablespoon and discard. After simmering gently for 4 min a clear stock will remain. Remove from heat. Pat the chicken pieces dry.
3. Heat an ovenproof flameproof dish over a high heat. Add some olive oil and then the chicken pieces skinside down. Brown on all sides very well, then remove and set aside. Add the reserved vegetables and spices from the marinade. Fry these very well until they are richly coloured. Then add the quince paste. Put the chicken drumsticks back into the pan and add the clear wine stock. Bring to the boil slowly over a low heat and reduce the liquid by half. Refrigerate the chicken breast and thigh pieces until required.
4. Preheat oven to 400F
5. Add the chicken stock, veal jus and bouquet garni to the dish containing the drumsticks. Cover with a circle of greaseproof paperwhich has a hole in the center. Some evaporation of the sauce will intensify the flavour as it reduces. Transfer the dish to the oven and braise for 15 min. until the legs are almost tender. Add the breast and thigh pieces to the braise and continueto cook for a further 15 min. until tender
6. Remove all the chicken and the whole shallots and cool to room temperature. Return the braising juices to the stovetop, add the sugar and reduce slowly over a low heat to a rich sauce.
7. To serve, reheat the chicken and shallots in the sauce. Serve alongside with sauteed mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes frittata, and French croutons.
Broccoli and Sun-dried Tomato Frittata
Ingredients:
8 pieces sun-dried tomatoes
10 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups chopped cooked broccoli
3/4 cup shredded cheese of your favourite (I used Montaiso DOP)
Steps:
1. In a large bowl beat together eggs, milk, parsley, basil, salt and pepper until just blended. Stir in tomatoes and broccoli.
2. Heat oil in a 10 inch (25cm) oven proof skillet over medium heat. Pour in egg mixture. Cook over low to medium heat until eggs are almost set but still moist on the surface, about 10 to 15 min., lifting the edges to allow uncooked egg to run to bottom of skillet.
3. Sprinkle top with cheese and place under hot broiler until the cheese melts, 2 to 3 min. Cut into wedges and serve with coq au vin.
We had a nice strawberry mille foglie cake from Cova for dessert! It was one of my sister Shirley's birthday cakes. I was so happy because I really enjoyed the buttery puff pastry, sweet and smooth pastry cream, and rich whipped cream along with very fresh strawberries in apricot jam!
great stew
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