A Classic French Dish Adapted for the British Kitchen

For an authentic Coq Au Vin you should use a cockerel as this gives deeper, richer flavour. However, in the UK it can be difficult to get hold of one so most often a chicken is used. In fact, I hear that this is often the case in France too. Your chicken should be a free range one; animal welfare aside (but still of the utmost importance) this will give a better flavour. Using a chicken cuts the cooking time down as a cockerel needs longer, slower cooking.

For true authenticity you should use a French wine, preferably a Burgundy Pinot Noir, but any good full bodied red that you would happily drink will be fine. Take note of the last part of that sentence ‘…that you would happily drink’. Please don’t use any old wine that would strip wallpaper in your cooking; this will impair the flavour of your food. The wine you use doesn’t have to be expensive but it does have to be drinkable.

Coq Au Vin

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 jointed chicken
12 shallots
2 garlic cloves
2 or 3 thick rashes of bacon
1 bottle of red wine
A few sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
Mushrooms (optional)
Plain flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Season some plain flour and coat the chicken pieces in it. Fry these until golden in a deep casserole dish with a little olive oil and a knob of butter, and then remove them.

Add in the shallots, peeled and left whole, and brown them, adding a little more oil if needed. Add two crushed garlic cloves and the bacon, chopped. Fry for a few minutes longer then pour in the red wine. Next add in the thyme and bay leaves. Bring up to a simmer then put a lid on and cook gently for about an hour. You can add in some mushrooms towards the end of the cooking time if you like. Check the seasoning and remove the bay leaves and thyme stalks before serving.

Like most stews and casseroles this is even better re-heated the next day.