Author Joe Gracey reports that he was excited about the prospect of making coq au vin out of an actual coq, or rooster-but when his roosters found a new home, he came up with this chicken-based variation.
Ingredients
- 3 oz. pancetta, diced
- 1 (5-7-lb.) stewing chicken, cut into 8 pieces
- 24-30 pearl onions, blanched and peeled
- 8 Tbsp. butter
- 4 Tbsp. flour
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled, trimmed, and chopped
- 1 rib celery, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 bottle hearty red wine
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- Leaves from 5 sprigs parsley, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 12-18 button mushrooms, stemmed and cleaned
Instructions
Step 1
Sauté pancetta in a large sauteuse or heavy wide pot over medium-high heat until browned, 5-6 minutes. Transfer pancetta with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. Add chicken pieces to pan and brown all over, 4-5 minutes, then add to bowl with pancetta and set aside. Sauté pearl onions until well browned, 4-5 minutes, then transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
Step 2
Melt 3 tbsp. of the butter in same pan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until pale brown, 1-2 minutes. Add chopped onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and reserved pancetta, chicken, and any accumulated juices. Add wine, scraping browned bits stuck to bottom of pan, then add 1 cup water, bay leaf, thyme, half the parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, until chicken is tender, 1-1 1⁄2 hours.
Step 3
Meanwhile, melt the remaining 5 tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat: sauté mushrooms until well browned, about 5 minutes, and set aside.
Step 4
Transfer chicken with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Purée sauce from pan in the jar of a blender, then return sauce and chicken to pan. Add mushrooms and pearl onions, adjust seasonings, and simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes. Serve garnished with remaining parsley.
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