Coq Au Vin -

Coq Au Vin

Ingredients

45ml/3 tbsp light olive oil
12 shallots
225g/8oz rindless streaky (fatty) bacon rashers (strips), chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
225g/8oz small mushrooms, halved
3 boneless chicken breast portions
6 boneless chicken thighs
1 bottle red wine
Salt and ground black pepper
45ml/3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

For the bouquet garni

3 sprigs each of fresh parsley, thyme and sage
1 bay leaf
4 peppercorns

For the beurre manié

25g/1oz/2 tbsp butter, softened
25g/1oz/¼ cup plain (all-purpose) flour

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large, flameproof casserole, add the shallots and cook for 5 minutes, or until golden. Increase the heat, add the bacon, garlic and halved mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes more, stirring frequently.

2. Use a draining spoon to transfer the cooked ingredients to a plate. Halve the chicken breast portions, then brown, along with the thighs, in the oil remaining in the pan. As they cook, turn them to ensure they are golden brown all over. Return the shallots, garlic, mushrooms and bacon to the casserole and pour in the red wine.

3. Tie the ingredients for the bouquet garni in a bundle in a small piece of muslin (cheesecloth) and add to the casserole. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and cover the casserole, then simmer for about 35 minutes.

4. To make the beurre manié, cream the butter and flour together in a small bowl using your fingers or a spoon to make a smooth paste.

5. Add small lumps of this paste to the bubbling casserole, stirring well until each piece has melted into the liquid before adding the next. When all the paste has been added, bring back to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

6. Season the casserole to taste with salt and pepper and serve garnished with chopped fresh parsley and accompanied by boiled potatoes.

Energy 496Kcal/2067kj; Protein 39.2g; Carbohydrate 5g of which sugars 1.8g; Fat 26.9g of which saturates 8.5g; Cholesterol 153mg; Calcium 47mg; Fibre 1.1g; Sodium 600mg

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