Coq Au Vin!!

Last night I decided to make a french chicken dish- Coq Au Vin!  It was my first attempt and it turned out DELICIOUS!  For those of you who don't know what this dish is, it means chicken cooked in wine.  To go along with the chicken, I made some dill roasted fingerling potatoes (courtesy of Ina Garten). Yummy!

Ina's Coq Au Vin recipe called for sliced carrots and mushrooms.

Diced pancetta MMMMMmmmmmm!!

A little bit of cognac.

Brown the pancetta.

Brown the chicken.  I used 2 thighs and 2 breasts.

Carrots and sliced onions sautéing.

Rinsed off fingerling potatoes.

Fresh thyme for the chicken.

Add the chicken and pancetta to the carrots and onions.

Pour in the cognac and half a bottle of dry red wine and chicken stock.

Chopped fresh dill for the potatoes.

Salt and pepper the potatoes and place in a dutch oven in a little bit of butter.  Cover and let them cook in their own juices!

Mash together flour and butter to add to the chicken.

Along with frozen pearl onions.

Saute the mushrooms in butter and oil til browned.

Add to the chicken.

Don't these potatoes look amazing?!

Coq Au Vin! Bon Appetite! 

Ina's Coq Au Vin Recipe:

4 oz pancetta, diced

1 (3 to 4 lb) chicken, I used 2 thighs and 2 breasts

S+P

1/2 lb carrots, cut diagonally in 1-inch pieces

1 yellow onion, sliced

1 tsp chopped garlic

1/4 C Cognac or good brandy

1/2 bottle good dry red wine such as Burgundy

1 C chicken stock

10 fresh thyme sprigs

2 TBSP unsalted butter, at room temp, divided

1 1/2 TBSP flour

1/2 lb frozen small whole onions

1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, stems removed and thickly sliced

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven.  Add the pancetta and cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned.  Remove the pancetta to a plate and set aside.

Meanwhile, lay the chicken out on paper towels and pat dry.  Liberally sprinkle the chicken on both sides with S+P.  When the pancetta is removed, brown the chicken pieces in batches in a single layer for about 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly.  Remove the chicken to the plate with the pancetta and continue to brown until all the chicken is done.  Set aside.

Add the carrots, onions, 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper to the pan and cook over medium heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minutes.  Add the Cognac and put the bacon, chicken and any juices from the plate into the pot.  Add the wine, chicken stock and thyme and bring to a simmer.  Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and place in the oven for 30-40 mintes, until the chicken is just not pink.  Remove from the oven and place on top of the stove.

Mash 1 TBSP of butter and the flour together and stir into the stew.  Add the frozen onions.  In a medium saute pan, add the remaining 1 TBSP of butter and cook the mushrooms over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes, until browned.  Add to the stew.  Bring the stew to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes.  Season to taste.  Serve hot.

Dill Fingerling Potatoes

2 TBSP unsalted butter

1 1/4 lb fingerling potatoes, rinsed but not peeled

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 4sp freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 TBSP chopped fresh dill

Melt the butter in a dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot.  Add the whole potatoes, S+P and toss well.  Cover the pot tightly and cook over low heat (if you dont' have a gas flame, cook on medium heat) for 20-30 minutes, until the potatoes are just tneder when tested with a fork.  From time to time, shake the pot without removing the lid to prevent the bottom potatoes from burning.  Turn off the heat and allow the potatoes to steam for another 5 minutes.  Don't overcook.  Toss with the dill and serve hot.