which to me means perfect for a dinner party - I can make it well in advance. My DH couldn't get enough of it
Modern Coq Au Vin
Serves 4 to 6
A medium bodies, fruity red wine such as Pinot Nor or Rhone Valley Granache is best for this recipe. Avoid bold, heavily oaked red wine varietals like Cabernet and light-bodies wines like Beaujolais.
1 bottle medium-bodied red wine
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 sprigs fresh parsley plus 2 T. minced fresh parsley leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
4 oz. bacon, preferably thick-cut, cut crosswise into ¼ inch pieces
2.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess at and cut in half crosswise
Table salt and ground black pepper
5 T. unsalted butter
24 frozen pearl onions, thawed, drained, and patted dry (about 1 cup)
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, wiped clean, stems trimmed halved if small and quartered if large
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tsp.)
1 T. tomato paste
2 T. all-purpose flour
1) Bring all but 1 T. wine (reserve for later use), broth, parsley sprigs, thyme, and bay to simmer in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced to 3 cups, about 25 minutes. Discard herbs.
2) Meanwhile, cook bacon in large Dutch oven over medium heat until browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper-towel-lined plate. Reserve 2 T. fat in small bowl; discard remaining fat.
3) Lightly season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 T. reserved bacon fat in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of chicken in single layer and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to plate and repeat with remaining chicken and 1 T. bacon fat.
4) Melt 3 T. butter in now empty Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When foaming subsides, add pearl onions and mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until light browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomato paste and flour; cook, stirring frequently, until well combined, about 1 minute.
5) Add reduced wine mixture, scarping bottom of pot with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits; add ¼ tsp. pepper. Return chicken, any accumulated juices, and reserved bacon to pot; increase heat to high and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot, and simmer until chicken is tender, about 25 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking time.
6) Using slotted spoon, transfer chicken to large bowl; tent with foil to keep warm. Increase the heat to medium-high and simmer sauce until thick and glossy and measures 3 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in remaining 2 T butter and reserved 1 T. wine. Season to taste withsalt. Return chicken to pot and top with minced parsley. Serve immediately.
Source: Cooks Illustrated Nov/Dec. 2006
Modern Coq Au Vin
Serves 4 to 6
A medium bodies, fruity red wine such as Pinot Nor or Rhone Valley Granache is best for this recipe. Avoid bold, heavily oaked red wine varietals like Cabernet and light-bodies wines like Beaujolais.
1 bottle medium-bodied red wine
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 sprigs fresh parsley plus 2 T. minced fresh parsley leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
4 oz. bacon, preferably thick-cut, cut crosswise into ¼ inch pieces
2.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess at and cut in half crosswise
Table salt and ground black pepper
5 T. unsalted butter
24 frozen pearl onions, thawed, drained, and patted dry (about 1 cup)
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, wiped clean, stems trimmed halved if small and quartered if large
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tsp.)
1 T. tomato paste
2 T. all-purpose flour
1) Bring all but 1 T. wine (reserve for later use), broth, parsley sprigs, thyme, and bay to simmer in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced to 3 cups, about 25 minutes. Discard herbs.
2) Meanwhile, cook bacon in large Dutch oven over medium heat until browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper-towel-lined plate. Reserve 2 T. fat in small bowl; discard remaining fat.
3) Lightly season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 T. reserved bacon fat in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of chicken in single layer and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to plate and repeat with remaining chicken and 1 T. bacon fat.
4) Melt 3 T. butter in now empty Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When foaming subsides, add pearl onions and mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until light browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomato paste and flour; cook, stirring frequently, until well combined, about 1 minute.
5) Add reduced wine mixture, scarping bottom of pot with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits; add ¼ tsp. pepper. Return chicken, any accumulated juices, and reserved bacon to pot; increase heat to high and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot, and simmer until chicken is tender, about 25 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking time.
6) Using slotted spoon, transfer chicken to large bowl; tent with foil to keep warm. Increase the heat to medium-high and simmer sauce until thick and glossy and measures 3 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in remaining 2 T butter and reserved 1 T. wine. Season to taste withsalt. Return chicken to pot and top with minced parsley. Serve immediately.
Source: Cooks Illustrated Nov/Dec. 2006