Coq au vin
I think I used well over 200g of butter to make this version of Coq au vin, good thing for the French paradox. . . The original recipe is from Julia Child's book, Mastering the art of French cooking. A copy of the recipe is reproduced here, so I will spare you the detail. I did take a variety of short cuts, such as not boiling my bacon prior to use and not bothering with blending my butter and flour to create a beurre manié.
The end result (after around 90 minutes of preparation and cooking) is indulgently rich, and the sauce demands a wine that can cut through the butter. I chose a bottle of red Burgundy which was superb.
Related posts: Coq au vin.
7 comments:
Edward...this dish used to be served in EVERY French restaurant..Frog's Legs or Snails as a starter...the good old days(smile)
It always appealed to me when done well...and Burgundy is the ideal choice..but it always seemed a pity to use a good Pinot in the sauce..but it pays...
My worse memory was a lunch in Burgundy..a very dark wooded restaurant..and in the shade of a large tree..it was DARK in there..I ordered Monsieur Coq...it appeared covered in a VERY dark sauce....only trouble was...I couldn't see the meal well..and could only try to find the chicken beneath the mass....
Thank goodness I have better memories of this French classic
I must remember to cook this just for you and Joe, when you finally make it to Australia!
Edward I tried my first version tonight and it was sublime -- used Nigel Slater's recipe as a base
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2001/nov/25/foodanddrink.shopping
But did use a chicken stock in the fridge which had amongst non-frenchie things, ginger! good dish to vary to taste, who knows what's really meant to go in anyway...
Pluggin,
What did you drink with it? I liked Slater's explanation for the various ingredients and might have a try with his version.
I like the idea of changing ingredients and using what is on hand.
I drank the last of an 04 Hillcrest pinot noir. Which I have to say was a bit too sappy cherry and I kept thinking of crazed atoms under a microscope "free acid! free acid!". I think I struggle too much to like Philip Jones' cheaper pinots.
What I should've drunk was a rustic pinot like Dalla Mia Finestra (Yarra Valley)....
I'm finishing the leftovers of the coq au vin tonight and opening a Tyrrells Vat 47, only because it arrived today and I can't help myself. Have you tried the Tyrrells 08s?
BTW the chicken stock I used was from poaching a whole chicken for 3-4hrs with onions, roots of shallots and parsley, ginger and peppercorns. Didn't hurt the coq au vin one bit, and I agree with you on using what's on hand. Gets the ol brain working.
Pluggin,
Sounds like a great selection of recent wines. How was the Vat 47? I've been on a slight buyers strike, which should resolve soon, so have not tried any of the new release Tyrrells. The Vat 9 sounds excellent.
I really enjoyed it, it was powdery and fine and the oak was minimal. But i have to confess it's my first Vat 47 ever (damn mailing lists) so my experience with Hunter chardonnays are, well, nil. It did seem to drop into water on the mid palate which wasn't the best so I don't know if this will fill up later. Apparantly it was bottled in September 08 which is an incredibly fast release isn't it?
I ordered the Vat 1 too will try when this Sydney weather becomes more summery. The 2007 Vat 9s are all gone!!!
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