French Dinner/Coq au Vin

I had a beautiful dinner party after a trip to France and I wanted to share some of the dishes I made.  The Grilled Salmon with Ginger Sauce is in the March entry under Blog Archive.  Here is the Coq au Vin recipe that I learned in cooking classes in Paris.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

L’entrée

Grilled Salmon with

 Ginger Sauce

Domaine Leflaive

Puligny Montrachet Pucelles

Le plat principal

Coq au Vin

Domaine de la Romanee Conti

Echezeaux

Salade Verte

Domaine des Comtes Lafon

Meursault les Perrieres

Le fromage

Chateau Beaucastel

Chateauneuf du Pape

Le dessert

Grand Marnier Chocolate Tart

Wine

COQ AU VIN

Serves 4-6 people

5 tablespoons butter or half butter and half olive oil

One 5 pound whole chicken cut up

½ cup or more all purpose flour

salt and pepper

1 bottle red Burgundy or other dry red wine

2 large onion, sliced thinly

5 medium carrots, peeled and sliced

3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, or 1 tablespoon dried

5 bay leaves

8 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns (optional)

1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 ½ cup small pearl onions (optional)

Chopped parsley for garnish

Wash chicken and pat dry using paper towels.

Coat pieces of chicken in flour.  (I use a plastic bag to shake).

Heat 3 tablespoons butter or oil in a large heavy pot over high heat. 

Brown chicken pieces in batches and make sure to brown well on all sides. 

Take out of pot after browning and sprinkle with salt, pepper and remaining flour. 

Return chicken pieces to pot add wine, onions, carrots, thyme, bay leaves, garlic and peppercorns. 

Bring to a boil, cover pot and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about one hour.

Remove bay leaves and peppercorns.

In a separate pan heat remaining 2 tablespoons of butter or oil and sauté mushrooms and pearl onions (if you are using them.  Saute for about 20 minutes until browned.

Add to chicken  when the chicken is done and cook for 10 more minutes.  Taste for seasoning.

Serve warm with either rice or noodles.

This dish can and should be prepared 1 to 2 days in advance.  Keep refrigerated.  Take out to bring to room temp then bring to simmer.