Coq au Vin

Name: Coq au Vin
Yield: serves 4 to 6
Ingredients: 1 (5-to 6-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces (see page 99); 1 onion, preferably Vidalia, coarsely chopped; 1 carrot, coarsely chopped; 1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped; 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed, plus 2 cloves garlic, chopped; 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns; 1 (750-ml) bottle red wine, preferably Pinot Noir; 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into lardons (see page 179); 2 tablespoons canola oil; Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper; 2 shallots, chopped; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 2 cups chicken stock (page 227) or low-fat, reduced-sodium chicken broth, plus more if needed; Bouquet garni (3 sprigs of thyme, 3 sprigs of flat-leaf parsley, and 1 bay leaf, preferably fresh, tied together in cheesecloth); 1 tablespoon unsalted butter; 1 sprig of thyme, for seasoning; 1 sprig of flat-leaf parsley, for seasoning; 1 bay leaf, preferably fresh, for seasoning; 10 white button mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed, halved or quartered if large; 16 to 24 pearl onions (4 for each person you plan to serve), trimmed and peeled

December 9, 2011

This classic French country dish consists of chicken cooked slowly in red wine with onions, mushrooms, bacon, and herbs. When we were young, Mama used to make a similar dish in her slow cooker. Opening the front door on a cold night and welcomed by the inviting smells of stew from a slow cooker can be a dream come true. But winter is not the only time a slow cooker is useful. As it puts out no heat, it makes a cool substitute for a hot oven in the summer, and it uses less electricity. For this dish, a slow cooker is fine, as is a Dutch oven set on the cooktop. If using a slow cooker, don’t skip the step of browning the chicken, or you will have a flabby, tasteless mess. This is a l-o-o-ng recipe, requiring many steps to create its layers of flavor, which may seem daunting to some cooks, but it’s not a difficult one. Consider making this dish ahead and refrigerating it overnight so the flavors will marry and blend: simply reheat it the next day. Note: A wooden spoon is perfect for telling you when your sauce is finished. The sauce will coat the back of the spoon when it has reached the proper coating consistency (napper in classic French cooking).

Recipe notes