We made our version over the weekend and will definately make again next season with pheasant. Since we have never had it before I do not know how it compares to a true chef's Coq Au Vin but it had very good flavor. We looked over several recipes and planned our version to our liking first.
As long as you do all your prep and read over a few times before starting it is surprisingly simple to make even with the amount of steps.
Ingredients:
1 bottle of red wine (we used Ruffino Chianti but most recipes call for a french red, Some recipes we saw called for using 2 whole bottle of wine in the dish we only used about 3/4 a bottle)
4 oz panchetta cubed
20 Fresh Pearl onions
6 large button mushrooms Quartered
2 large Carrots Quartered
2 Celery Stalks Quartered
2 Cloves Garlic Quartered
2 Chicken legs and thighs
Flour
Salt
Fresh Pepper
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 Cups Chicken Stock (We had made stock the week before)
5 quart Dutch Oven (we have an enamel glazed one)
Method:
1. Bring dutch oven up to temperature with panchetta, Brown until crispy
Set aside leave any oils in pan.
2. Add pearl onions with some salt and pepper. Cook until golden browned. (8 mins or so) Remove and Set aside with the panchetta
3. In a gallon ziplock add 1/2 cup flour that has been seasoned with salt and pepper Shake to fully coat. Brown the chicken until golden, starting skin side down, (we did one leg at a time to prevent crowding the pan) When all chicken is browned remove and set aside. Preheat oven to 325 at this point.
4. Add mushrooms and cook until they release their water. (we also added a little butter to keep some fat in the pan) Remove and set aside with the Onions etc
5. Deglaze the pan with 1/2- 1 cup of your red wine
6. Add Carrots, Yellow onion, Celery,garlic, Bay leaf, thyme, Chicken Stock
7. Put Chicken in pot, and Add more wine (We only used enough to bring the liquid level up so about 1/3 of the chicken was uncovered)
8. Put in oven and cook until chicken is fully cooked. A gentle simmer, Stiring occasionally. Approximately 2 hours.
9. When cooked through remove chicken and put in an oven safe dish. Turn oven off and give it a chance to drop in temp. Put chicken in to stay warm
10. Strain the vegetables out and return the liquid to the duch oven, Place on stovetop and reduce by about a third. Pick out the thyme stems and bay leaf from the vegtables at this time.
11. When liquid has reduced add the panchetta, pearl onions and mushrooms and let them come to temp
12. Add chicken and enjoy. We ate with Egg Noodles.
