Sunday 7 February 2021

Mamie Nona's Coq au Vin

No technically my mamie's recipe as a coq (hen) is nowhere to be found. She had scribbled this recipe numerous times, although in latter years she would just talk and I took notes. Whenever I made this dish and proudly let her know, the inevitable question arose: "but did you use a coq"? If I could find a hen I would, as the whole point was to cook and stew these tough old ladies until they became tender and edible. My humble value add to this dish is cutting the pancetta slab into dice rather than cubes. They are still big enough in size to provide nice taste and texture rather than to dominate every mouthful. 

chicken thighs, legs, wings (breast not a high priority)
1-2 onions
1-2 carrots (cut into 1 inch cylinders)
celery stalk
chives
1/4 garlic clove
buttter
light olive oil
bottle of best red wine you're willing to use (on the gutsy side)
3/4 cup home-made chicken stock (I made one from chicken necks last time)
1/4 cup cognac
1 tblsp ruby port
1 clove
half dozen black pepper corns
corn starch
pancetta slab (cut into dice as opposed to cubes)
button mushrooms

  1. marinate chicken overnight in red wine, veggies, cognac, pepper and clove
  2. take chicken out of fridge an hour before you need them
  3. separate chicken and veggies, try to remove moisture by dabbing with paper towel
  4. heat up a casserole, add a thumb of butter but mainly oil
  5. season chicken generously with pepper and salt
  6. when oil is hot, saute chicken pieces skin side down (don't touch them, let skin brown nicely all around)
  7. when skin side nicely brown flip around and do the same (making sure they develop a nice color; keep heat at highest possible level without burning the chicken)
  8. remove chicken from casserole working in batches if necessary; remove fat and add a small thumb of butter, a little oil and brown the veggies
  9. sprinkle with some corn starch, not too much
  10. once veggies browned, return chicken to casserole followed by the marinade and chicken stock
  11. put in oven 150-160 degrees for about 90 minutes (slower cooking, lower temperature will lead to a more tender chicken)
  12. a half hour before the chicken is ready, saute the pancetta dice until nicely rendered, remove and place over paper towel to reduce excess fat; remove excess fat from pan
  13. add sliced mushrooms into same pan, with a little bit of butter and oil, salt and pepper until mushrooms are nicely browned; add some minced garlic and mix until they are well cooked and coat the mushrooms; add a little ruby port and continue cooking until liquid is eliminated
  14. when chicken is done, gently remove from pot (as it will fall apart), retain the carrots and place aside; strain the sauce through a chinois
  15. put chicken and carrots back into casserole with strained sauce, pancetta and mushrooms until heated through
  16. serve on a nice, heated while oval platter with minced chives sprinkled over the top