2023 Tour de France - Stage 18: Moȗtiers to Bourg-en-Bresse.
A much more relaxed day on the tour, even though this is the longest day, it’s fairly flat and a welcome respite for the riders after so many days in the mountains, ending in the chicken capital of France. I decided to take it easy too, making this classic French braise: coq au vin! Yes, chicken slowly cooked in wine is a dish that never disappoints with its tender chicken and softened vegetables smothered in a rich wine sauce finished with butter.
Coq au Vin
¼ lb of slab bacon, diced
Bottle of red wine
2.5 cups chicken stock
Stick of butter at room temperature
Carrot, diced
Onion, diced
2 shallots, diced
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3 or 4 chicken quarters, separated
2 tsp tomato paste
Thyme
Parsley
2 bay leaves
½ lb button mushrooms, quartered
3 tbsp flour
Render the bacon in a large dutch oven and remove with a slotted spoon and reserve. Meanwhile, heat the wine and stock in a separate pot.
Add 1 tbsp of butter to the bacon fat and cook the vegetables with a pinch of salt, over medium heat, until browned, about 12 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the dutch oven, using a slotted spoon, and transfer to the warming stock/wine.
Add another 2 tbsp of butter to the dutch oven. Season the chicken with kosher salt and black pepper and place the chicken skin-side down. Cook over medium-high heat and brown on both sides. Remove to a platter.
Add the tomato paste to the pot and stir briefly, toasting for about a minute.
Then, pour the warmed stock/wine/veggie mixture into the dutch oven and scrape the fond off the bottom of the pot. Tie a few sprigs of parsley and thyme together with butcher's twine and drop into the pot, followed by the bay leaves and bring to a boil.
Add in the chicken, skin-side up, along with any juices and return to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer with the lid cracked, cooking for an hour, and turning the chicken half way through.
In a separate pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and cook the mushrooms with a pinch of salt until the mushrooms have released their juices, browned, and the moisture has evaporated from the pot. Reserve with the bacon.
After an hour, remove the chicken and place on a platter and cover with foil to keep warm, reserving some of the cooked carrots as well.
Pour the pot content into a 4-cup measuring cup, pressing on the solids. Discard the solids and return the sauce to the dutch oven, set over medium-high heat.
Meanwhile, mash the remaining 3 tbsp of butter with the flour.
When the liquid begins to boil, stir in the flour-butter mixture, whisking constantly until smooth. Add in the reserved chicken and veggies, mushrooms and bacon. Season with pepper, add in some minced fresh parsley leaves, and taste for any additional seasoning needs and serve.
______________________________ Copyright 2023, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
Comments