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Ingredients
| whole chicken: 1 (cut into 10 pieces) |
| all-purpose flour (unsifted): 1 1/4 Tbl |
| olive oil: 2 Tbl |
| sea salt: 1 tsp |
| black pepper: 1/2 tsp |
Marinade
| cabernet sauvignon wine: 4 1/4 cups |
| carrots: 3 (cut into slanted slices) |
| celery: 2 stalks (cut into slices) |
| onions - pearl white: 20 (peeled) |
| peppercorns: 1 tsp |
Marinade - Bouquet Garni
| bay leaf: 2 |
| parsley: 3 |
| fresh thyme: 6 sprigs |
Garnish
| olive oil: 1 Tbl |
| bacon: 200 oz (diced) |
| crimini mushrooms: 400 g (trimmed) |
| Italian parsley: 1 Tbl (chopped) |
Raymond Blanc's Coq Au Vin
User rating:
A rich and flavorful braise that is perfect for a fall or winter evening.
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Prep Time
60 min -
Cook Time
60 min -
Servings
4 serving(s)
Tags
- To marinate the chicken, bring the red wine to the boil and continue to boil until reduced by a third. This removes the alcohol and concentrates the colour and flavour. Leave to cool. In a bowl, mix the chicken pieces, carrots, celery, onions, peppercorns and bouquet garni. Pour on the cooled red wine. Cover with clingfilm, refrigerate and marinate for 24 hours.
- Place a colander over a large bowl and put the chicken mixture in to drain off the marinade. Leave for a minimum of 1 hour to remove excess liquid. Separate the chicken, vegetables and herbs, and pat dry with kitchen paper. Season the chicken with four pinches of salt and four pinches of freshly ground black pepper. Keep the liquid.
- To toast the flour, preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6. Sprinkle the flour on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until it is very lightly coloured. Set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 150°C/gas 2.
- To fry the chicken: on a high heat, in a large, heavy-based casserole, heat the olive oil and colour the chicken pieces in it for 5-7 minutes on each side. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the drained vegetables and herbs to the casserole. Lower the heat to medium high and cook for 5 minutes, until lightly coloured.
- To make the sauce, spoon out most of the fat from the casserole, add the toasted flour and stir into the vegetables for a few seconds. On a medium heat, whisk in the wine marinade little by little - this will create a sauce and prevent lumps forming. Bring to the boil and skim any impurities from the surface. The wine marinade will be slightly thickened and have the consistency of a light sauce.
- Add the chicken pieces and return to the boil. Cover with a lid and cook in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- To finish the sauce: if you wish you can serve the coq au vin as it is. But should you prefer a richer, more powerful sauce, drain it through a colander and, on a high heat, boil the sauce until it has reduced by a third. It should have acquired more body and become a rich, vinous colour. Pour the sauce back over the chicken and vegetables.
- To cook the garnish: over a medium heat, in a medium nonstick frying pan, heat the olive oil and cook the bacon for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix the bacon and mushrooms into the coq au vin. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve piping hot, straight from the casserole.