Autumn has arrived, and as the air temperature begins to drop, dishes like Coq au Vin become especially inviting and satisfying.
Coq au Vin is a traditional French chicken dish that is cooked with Burgundy wine. Even though it’s simple to make, it’s certain to impress guests.
Some serve the chicken over buttered egg noodles. Others opt to accompany it with roasted new potatoes. Either way, the dish is a classic and a perfect companion to red Burgundy — as well as Pinot Noir from Oregon’s Willamette Valley or California’s cooler growing regions.
This recipe yields 4 servings.
COQ AU VIN
Ingredients
* 7-lbs. chicken, cut into 8 pieces
* 3 bay leaves
* ½ tsp peppercorns
* 3 cloves garlic, crushed
* 2 T unsalted butter
* 2 C Burgundy wine (Pinot Noir)
* Freshly ground pepper to taste
* 2 medium carrots, chopped
* 1 C button mushrooms
* 1 medium white onion, chopped
* 1 C pearl onions, peeled
* 1 medium leek, sliced
* ¼ C flour
* 4 sprigs fresh thyme
* 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
Preparation
1. Place chicken in a large bowl. Add bay leaves, peppercorns, garlic and wine. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
2. The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Remove chicken and reserve marinade. Pat chicken dry, and season with pepper.
4. In an oven-proof pot over medium-high heat, melt butter and brown chicken; remove and set aside.
5. Add carrots, mushrooms, onion, pearl onions and leek to same pot. Cook until golden, stirring often.
6. Sprinkle flour over vegetables. Return chicken to pot and add reserved marinade, stirring to combine.
7. Add thyme and rosemary sprigs. Cover and bake 1 hour. 8. Discard herb sprigs and serve.
