Julia Child's Coq Au Vin

I received the most wonderful of goodbye gift from my dear friend, Janet! A Le Creuset 5.5 qt Dutch oven! I immediately started trying to figure out what to cook in it as it "inaugural" meal. Thought I love me some Burgandy Beef, I decided that with the hot weather and the impending move, to go with Coq Au Vin.

COQ AU VIN RECIPE from Julia Child's Kitchen

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup lardons (or very thick-cut bacon), cut into 1/4- by 1 1/2-inch strips (optional)

2 or more tablespoons olive oil

3 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds chicken, cut into parts (or all of one kind of part), thoroughly dried

1/4 cup Cognac

 Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

20 small white onions, peeled

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups red wine, preferably Burgundy, Côtes du Rhône, or Pinot Noir

About 2 cups brown homemade chicken stock, or beef stock

1 or 2 garlic cloves, mashed or minced

About 1 tablespoon tomato paste (I accidentally added the whole can. I misread the recipe.)

3/4 pound fresh mushrooms, trimmed, washed, and quartered

DIRECTIONS

1. To make the Coq Au Vin on your stovetop, if you’re using lardons or bacon, sauté them in 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy-bottomed casserole until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer the pork to a side dish, leaving the drippings in the pan. (Otherwise, coat the casserole with 1/8 inch of olive oil.)

2. Heat the drippings or oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, before careful not to crowd the pan. (You may need to work in batches). Cook the chicken, turning frequently, until nicely browned on all sides. Carefully pour the Cognac or Armagnac into the pan, let it become bubbling hot, and then, if desired–and if you’re brave–ignite the sauce with a match. Let it flame for a minute, tilting the pan by its handle and swirling the sauce to burn off alcohol. To extinguish the flames, simply cover the pan with its lid.

3. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Add the bay leaf and thyme to the pan and place the onions around the chicken. Cover and simmer gently, turning the chicken once, for about 10 minutes.

4. Uncover the pan, sprinkle the flour over everything, and turn the chicken and onions so the flour is absorbed by the sauce. Cover and cook, turning once or twice, for 3 to 4 minutes more.

5. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually stir and swirl in the wine and enough stock or bouillon to almost cover the chicken. Add the lardons or bacon, garlic, tomato paste, and mushrooms to the pan, cover, and gently simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Test the chicken for doneness (there should be no trace of pink and the juices should run clear when the meat is pierced with a knife) and remove those pieces that are ready. Continue to cook the rest of the chicken a few minutes longer. If the onions are not quite tender, continue cooking them in the sauce, then return the chicken to the pan, add the mushrooms, and simmer 4 to 5 minutes. The sauce should be just thick enough to lightly coat the chicken and vegetables. If it is too thin, boil it down rapidly to concentrate; if it is too thick, thin it with spoonfuls of stock or bouillon. Taste the sauce carefully, and correct the seasoning accordingly. Serve immediately or let cool, cover, and refrigerate overnight. To reheat, skim any fat that has congealed on the surface of the stew and place the pan of coq au vin over medium-low heat.

Not exactly what I expected, but it was yummy.

I ended up cooking the chicken and then just pulling all the meat off the bones for this as I didn't know how to debone a whole chicken. I suppose that should go on my 32 ere 32 list.

The flavors were very nice and the chicken was very moist. I don't feel like it turned out perfectly, but it was a solid meal. I ended up serving the dish over pasta for those who are a-ok with the carbohydrates and Zucchini Noodles (Zoodles) for those of us who aren't. The dish was very satisfying.

Until the next traditional meal...