Today was Coq Au Vin.

It sounds all super fancy because the name is French.  It’s not.  It’s chicken braised in red wine.  Whoop-dee-doo!  I braise pork chops like nobody’s business over here, there’s nothing fancy about it!

But is it delicious and heart-warming and decadent all the same?

Yes.  Yes it is.

And it’s not at all pricey to make.  I use reasonably priced wine, chicken isn’t exactly a high-priced food item, and the vegetables are your standard onions and carrots with a bit of mushrooms added in.

Of course, I used Ina Garten’s recipe for this.  I am attracted to Ina’s style of cooking and technique because she takes a “it’s no big deal” approach to cooking types of food that some people might find daunting or intimidating upon a first contemplation.  But when someone offers to help by teaching you or giving you a recipe and are very relaxed and not at all uptight about it, the learning process is much easier without all of the anxiety.  Ina is great with that mentality.

For your pleasure, here is the recipe!

Coq Au Vin

2007, Ina Garten

2 Tblsp. good olive oil

4 oz. good bacon or pancetta, diced

1 (3-4 lb.) chicken, cut in 8ths

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ lb. carrots, cut diagonally in 1-inch pieces

1 yellow onion, sliced

1 tsp. chopped garlic

¼ cup Cognac or good brandy

½ bottle (375 ml) good dry red wine such as Burgundy

1 cup good chicken stock, preferably homemade

10 fresh thyme sprigs

2 Tblsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided

1-1/2 Tblsp. AP flour

½ lb. frozen small whole onions

½ lb. cremini mushrooms, stems removed and thickly sliced

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.  Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven.  Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned.  Remove the bacon to a plate with a  slotted spoon.  Meanwhile, lay the chicken out on paper towels and pat dry.  Liberally sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.  When the bacon 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 bacon 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 minute.  Add the Cognac and put the bacon, chicken, and any juices that collected on 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 minutes, until the chicken is just not pink.  Remove from the oven and place on top of the stove.

Mash 1 Tblsp. of butter and the flour together and stir into the stew.  Add frozen onions.  In a medium sauté pan, add the remaining 1 Tblsp. of butter and cook the mushrooms over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes, until browned.  Add to stew.  Bring the stew to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes.  Season to taste.  Serve hot.  YIELD:  3 servings.

Ok, so I did a couple of things different.  Yes, I used bacon.  I NEVER have pancetta on hand at my house, but I always have bacon.  Just simple smoked bacon (NOT maple flavored) does the job just fine.

I also used frozen chicken thighs for the meat instead of a whole chicken cut up.  As long as the meat has bone and skin, it’s going to work JUST fine.

I NEVER have brandy of cognac in my house.  I would never use it except for small splashes in dishes I rarely cook.  I’ve found that a good substitute is sweet mash Kentucky bourbon.  It’s not the same, but in the small amount this recipe calls for, it works FINE.

Cremini mushrooms are so delicious.  They are delicious in this dish.  White button mushrooms are also wonderful in this dish and cost a lot less.  There’s no need to spend a lot of money on a back-up flavor in this dish.

This is not a thick dish at all.  You can either serve it like a stew and serve bread as a side (the broth is HEAVENLY), or you can serve it over rice or egg noodles.  I prefer the egg noodle bed, but it’s all good.

Might I recommend that you end this dinner with a fat slice of Candy Cane Cake?

Tomorrow is the appetizer dinner.  Maybe I will serve it late, after my children have gone to bed.  I think that might be nice.  And, I promise it will be prettier this year than it was last year (can you say “embarrassed part-time food blogger posts major food kludge for shits and giggles only to deeply regret it!”)

Happy Holidays everyone!