Coq au Vin 'Peasant cuisine' at home

No rooster or old chicken here just, just a top notch French dish so hearty for these cold winter nights. Serve with egg noodles and some crusty bread; don’t forget the wine to drink!

Giorgio Celmo

Ingredients:

1 Whole chicken cut into eight pieces (wing tips removed)

1 pound cipolin or pearl onions, whole

4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

5 garlic cloves, peeled, 4 left whole and 1 finely chopped

3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped

One 750 Ml. bottle dry red wine

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon tomato paste

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cups button mushrooms, quartered

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions:

1. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees.

2. In a large ovenproof pot with a tight-fitting lid, cook the bacon, uncovered, on the stove over low heat until mostly crisp on both sides, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels, leaving about 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the pan; discard the rest. Cut the bacon into 1-inch pieces and reserve

3. Place 1 cup of the flour on a large plate or in a plastic bag, and season liberally with salt and pepper. Coat the chicken pieces on all sides with the seasoned flour.

4. Heat the bacon fat in the pan over moderately high heat and brown the chicken, a few pieces at a time, until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pot, and repeat with the remaining chicken.

5. Use a paper towel to wipe out the bottom of the pot. Add the olive oil and heat over low heat. Add the onions, carrots, whole and chopped garlic and half of the thyme and cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the onions just begin to turn golden brown. Seasoning with salt and pepper to taste; stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons flour. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Raise the heat to high, add the wine, and bring to a boil.

6. Reduce the heat to low, add the bay leaf, and whisk in the tomato paste making sure to incorporate it into the sauce. Add the browned chicken pieces and gently spoon some of the vegetables and wine over the meat. Cover the stew,

7. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter over low heat. When the butter is sizzling, add the mushrooms, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the remaining thyme and the reserved bacon and cook for 2 more minutes.

8. Add the mushrooms and bacon to the stew, stir gently, and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is quite tender; it should be almost falling off the bone.

9. Remove from the oven, season to taste, and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to finish the sauce. Sprinkle in the parsley and serve hot.