Coq au vin 'Rooster in Wine'

 Coq au vin translation from French is 'Rooster in Wine' and this is what this recipe basically is except now it has been replace by chicken.  The recipe below is a modern version but every family has its own twist on this French Classic. This recipe serves 8 or 4 very hungry blokes.

Coq au vin


1 kg chicken Thighs, fat removed this will be one per person therefor 8 thighs are required
8 - 16 rashes of bacon

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions peeled and cut into quarters or 8 pickling onions, 2 per portion

40g butter
200g small button mushrooms or 24  button mushroom, 3 per portion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup brandy

1 cup red wine

1 1/2 cups of chicken stock
3 bay leaves
2 pinches of dried thyme
2 parsley stalks
1 tablespoon cornflour

Method

Remove fat from the thighs and roll thighs in 2 rashes of bacon per thigh or if larger rashes one rash of bacon.  Secure bacon with two tooth picks.
Sear bacon on a medium heat not to hot until brown, remove thighs and add onions and toss on medium heat until lightly brown set aside.
Reduce the heat to medium - low and add the butter and then add the mushrooms cook 2 minutes and add garlic cook for another 2 minutes stirring for even colour of the mushrooms.
Add red wine, brandy, 1 cup of chicken stock, plus the thyme, bay leaves and parsley stalk, stir until combined.
Place chicken into the liquid mixture, and reduce to a low heat, cover and cook for 40 minutes.
Remove bay leaf, parsley stalk and chicken from the liquid and set a side the chicken in a warm dish and cover with foil. Mix cornflour with 1/2 of remaining stock and add to the liquid mixture, increase heat to medium and cook out the cornflour for 5 minutes until thickened.

Slice the thighs into even slices around five each thigh, if desired thinly slice the ends off for a nicer presentation.  Place slices into a shallow soup bowl, and ladle over sauce, plus mushrooms and onions.

Serve with plain white rice, and croutons.

If you havent a cast iron casserole dish in which you can sear and then cook the casserole, after searing the ingredients then adding the liquid transfer to a thick bottomed saucepan and finish cooking the recipe in there.

This recipe can be done in the crockpot too, after searing the ingredients and adding the liquid transfer to crockpot and cook on slow for 2 - 3 hours. Add the corn flour an hour before serving, you can leave chicken in while sauce thickens.

For greatest rice recipe look under Rice in the Recipe section