- Coq au Vin

COQ AU VIN


6 large garlic cloves, smashed
4 whole black peppercorns
2 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
1 bay leaf
7 sprigs flat leaf parsley, stems and leaves separated
2 T olive oil
8 oz pearl onions, peeled
12 oz white button mushrooms, halved or quartered
2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 T unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 T brandy
1 c dry red wine
3 ¼ c chicken stock
1 T tomato paste
1 T cornstarch

Using a small piece of cheesecloth, make a bouquet garni. Wrap 3 garlic cloves, peppercorns, thyme, bay leaf and parsley stems; tie in a bundle with kitchen twine. Set aside.

In a Dutch oven, heat 1 T oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and remaining 3 cloves of garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, and cook until golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Cut the chicken into strips about 2 inches long and ¾ inch wide. Add the butter and remaining 1 T of olive oil to the skillet. Season chicken with salt and pepper; cook in two batches until browned, about 1 minute per side. Return all of the chicken to the skillet. Add the brandy and wine. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits on bottom of pan. Add chicken stock; stir in tomato paste. Add bouquet garni. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, covered, 15 minutes. Add the reserved mushrooms, onions and garlic. Cook 5 minutes more.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken and vegetables to a bowl. Discard bouquet garni. Over high heat, reduce broth by half, about 12 minutes. In a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in 1 T cold water. Stir back into broth, and mix until incorporated. Cook 2 minutes. Return chicken, onions and mushrooms to pot; cook over warm heat until thoroughly warm. Chop parsley leaves, and stir in. Garnish with thyme and serve.

Notes:

1. I cheated on the bouquet garni. I bought the pre-made version at the Gourmet Warehouse on Hastings in Vancouver (my favourite specialty shop).

2. This recipe says it feeds 6 but I doubled it to feed 7 – it all depends on how hearty your guests’ appetites are!

3. I served this with Duchesse potatoes (recipe also posted) which are yummy (I had a hard time not eating all of the potato mixture before I piped it) and pan sautéed asparagus (okay we started with French Onion soup (previously posted) and ended with Crème Brûlée (recipe also posted).