Coq au Vin

Method

1. 01

   Prepare the chicken

   Heat the oven to 170°C. Pat chicken dry without washing it; season with 3 g salt and 1 g pepper. Prepare vegetables on a clean separate board.

   

2. 02

   Cook the bacon

   Cook bacon in a wide heavy ovenproof pot over medium heat for 5–6 minutes until golden at the edges. Lift it into a bowl and leave the rendered fat in the pot.

   

3. 03

   Brown the chicken skin

   Add oil and sear chicken over medium-high heat in two batches, 6–8 minutes per batch, mostly skin-side down. Turn briefly, then transfer to a tray. Spoon off excess fat, leaving 30 ml in the pot.

   

4. 04

   Soften the vegetables

   Lower to medium and cook diced onion, carrots and pearl onions for 5 minutes. Add garlic for 1 minute, then tomato paste and flour for 2 minutes, stirring until the flour is fully moistened.

   

5. 05

   Add wine and stock

   Pour in wine, scrape the base and boil for 5 minutes. Add stock, thyme, bay and bacon. Nestle chicken into the sauce, skin-side up, and bring back to a gentle simmer.

   

6. 06

   Braise until safely cooked

   Cover and cook in the 170°C oven for 45–55 minutes. Check the thickest thigh meat reaches 74°C without touching bone. The meat should be tender but still hold together.

   

7. 07

   Brown the mushrooms

   While the chicken braises, melt butter in a wide frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook mushrooms for 8–10 minutes until their liquid has evaporated and several faces are golden; keep them separate until finishing.

   

8. 08

   Finish the sauce

   Remove thyme and bay, then add mushrooms. Simmer uncovered for 8–10 minutes until the sauce coats a spoon. If too thick, loosen with reserved water in 25 ml additions; taste before adding remaining salt and pepper.

   

9. 09

   Serve over warm mash

   Reheat prepared mash according to its instructions until 74°C throughout. Let the chicken rest off the heat for 5 minutes, then divide over four portions of mash with sauce and garnish with parsley.