10 December 2008

Coq au Vin chez the BB's- It's not easy being purple!!!!






As part of my continued saga of being part of the illustrious group the Barefoot Bloggers I am rolling up my shirt sleeves and cooking up a storm with one of my idols the Barefoot Contessa herself and all the other wonderful members of this close knit group. We're cooks and bakers with a love for all things Ina. We test and retest Ina Garten's recipes as a whole and then blog about our results and recipes on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month. This gives me the opportunity to try more of Ina's recipes as well as not having to think of what's for dinner at least 2 nights in the month!! Bonus!!! This time around Coq Au Vin was chosen by Bethany of this little piggy went to market which can be found in Ina's new book Back to Basics.

In my own words I am committing a faux pas because when life is normal I don't submit the same recipe for more than one blogging event. My excuse this time around is that it's the holiday season and a very busy time of the year!!!!!!! Riding on the shirt tails of the season I am also sending this classic French dish out to My Kitchen My World who travels to that icon of culinary expertise this week... France. This illustrious group of bloggers is now moderated by the lovely Lauren of I'll Eat You. The group chooses a country every Sunday and we put our best foot forward in an effort to highlight a different country each week.

Verdict....the dish was a devilish purple colour from the red wine (and you thought it was my photography skills...tsk...tsk....) but it tasted delicious. I served it with some simple Criss Cross potatoes and a side salad of baby romaine with an herb vinaigrette.
Traditionally coq au vin is made with a rooster and is one of the most classic of French dishes. The original dish was finished off by adding rooster blood, which coagulates and thickens when exposed to oxygen, lending the flavour a certain je ne sais quoi. No blood was let in the making of this dish!!

The Barefoot Bloggers have made 51,098 Friday dinners for Jeffrey to date!!!!!

**Coq au Vin**
2 T good olive oil
4 ounces good bacon or pancetta, diced
1 (3 to 4-pound) chicken, cut in 8ths
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound carrots, cut diagonally in 1-inch pieces
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 tsp chopped garlic
1/4 cup Cognac or good brandy
1/2 bottle (375 ml) good dry red wine such as Burgundy
1 cup good chicken stock, preferably homemade
10 fresh thyme sprigs
2 T unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
1 1/2 T all-purpose flour
1/2 pound frozen small whole onions
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, stems removed and thickly sliced

***********************
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon.

Meanwhile, lay the chicken out on paper towels and pat dry. Liberally sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. When the bacon is removed, brown the chicken pieces in batches in a single layer for about 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Remove the chicken to the plate with the bacon and continue to brown until all the chicken is done. Set aside.

Add the carrots, onions, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to the pan and cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac and put the bacon, chicken, and any juices that collected on the plate into the pot. Add the wine, chicken stock, and thyme and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just not pink. Remove from the oven and place on top of the stove.

Mash 1 tablespoon of butter and the flour together and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. In a medium saute pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and cook the mushrooms over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until browned. Add to the stew. Bring the stew to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes. Season to taste. Serve hot.
Best Blogger Tips

38 comments:

  1. Oh, that looks yummy! I love the association of wine and meat!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is so funny and has happened to us more than once! I was opening your page to read your post for today when I received and email that you had left a comment! ;)

    This dish sounds delicious. I'm going to have to make this sometime!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Delicious! I love bacon with chicken in a dish! I'll try this recipe.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Chicken and Wine! How much better can that get? But sending the same recipe out for two events? Bad girl... hold out your hand now for a smack! LOL!

    ReplyDelete
  5. It is funny that you mention the purple color...I made a chicken dish recently using red wine and my family was put off by the color! The taste was sublime like I am sure your's was! Like the criss-cross potatoes!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love this dish. Even though it takes a while, it's not difficult and it doesn't require constant attention.

    Sadly, when I made it, my husband did not appreciate it at all. That's men for you! They just don't get it when it comes to special dishes like this. At least I got to eat most of the leftovers myself. Yummy.

    ReplyDelete
  7. "It's not easy being purple..."
    I LOVE purple, and the chicken looks good, too. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. I've used Ina Garten's recipe for Beef Bourguignon many times over (and it's always met with applause) but have yet to use her recipe for Coq au Vin, although I have used another's. Will have to try soon!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love this, it looks so comforting with those vegetables nice and chunky. I love to take carrots ,potatos, onion and celery and chunk them big for roasts or chicken. It looks very satisfing!

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a great looking dish. It looks wonderful with the criss cross potatoes (which I thought was mango and was very confused for a minute). Great job Val!

    ReplyDelete
  11. The picture is making me drool!!!! I love the combo Meat/wine... Well, in fact I love them without combining... or one after the other... or... Let's all go purple!

    I think I will use the same post for two events too! Weeks, hours and days get shorter and shorter!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Val, this is my second helping of Ina's Coq Au Vin and it pleases me...thirds anyone?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Rocking good combination of meat & wine Val...droolworthy indeed! can see a Barefoot Val in the making!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. finally the aubergines in the garden are running out - we will soon stop being purple!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hey Val! You won the book on my site! Yay you! Send me your address so that I can get it to ya!

    Jessica

    ReplyDelete
  16. What a fun easy trick with the potatoes!
    Haven done coq-au-vin for a long time, I think I need to now!

    ReplyDelete
  17. It looks wonderful.

    I love your potatoes too.

    ReplyDelete
  18. This photo was so artsy, I couldn't figure out what it was until I read further. The potatoes really threw me...I was thinking they were fruit. Cest la vie.

    ReplyDelete
  19. It's a busy time of year - completely understandable for you to double dip!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Love the purple and those divine potatoes Val...

    ReplyDelete
  21. What a beautiful spread! The meat looks perfectly done and I love how you've plated it... a feast for my eyes indeed!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Purple just happens to be one of my favorite colors! This looks wonderful, Val. I've got Ina's book on my Xmas wish list. Now, I can't wait!

    ReplyDelete
  23. I love this recipe, it's soooo INA! Love the purple too.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I must confess I have never cooked Coq au Vin, but your recipe and pictures made me feel I have been missing something!

    ReplyDelete
  25. I love it!
    This sounds delicious. Makes me want to visit gay Paris.

    ReplyDelete
  26. I've bought a small cookbook when in France and was planning to make the French Coq au Vin recipe as I still have some rooster from Crete. The two recipes are very similar and thanks for reminding me of this.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Jeffrey is the luckiest man on earth. I am sure of it. This coq au vin sounds perfect for this time of year.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Valli, what a fantastic meal! Wish I could part-take right this minute.

    ReplyDelete
  29. I love Coq au Vin. My brother now makes it with white wine and it's delicious. Looks great.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I did not know that rooster blood features in this dish. Horrible!! Tradition is all very well and everything. But some bits of it are best forgotten!!!

    ReplyDelete
  31. The purple makes the chicken have just a little more character. I love the criss cross potatoes - gives the whole dish such a polished look. I just don't know how you do it all.

    ReplyDelete
  32. although i've never made coq au vin, i do like to say the name and drop into casual conversation whenever possible... :)

    ReplyDelete
  33. Hi,
    I found your blog by googling a restaurant in Cleethorpes, it gave me a giggle that you said "there really is such a place"
    Guess where I live? LOL.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Hey Susan, I am glad that you found my blog by GOOGLE.It means that our system really does work!!! The restaurant if I recall is called Valerie's (which is my name) so that is probably the reference to "there really is such a place".ENJOY!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Val, I'm so pleased and pleasured to be back visiting your blog...I've been on long hiatus and am trying to get my cooking legs (and head) back! Lovely recipe, lovely barefoot idea!
    The blog looks great!

    ReplyDelete
  36. I adore Coq Au Vin and how you presented this ,

    ReplyDelete
  37. Great post, Val!! And you're forgiven for combining two posts into one. ;-) hehehe

    Beautiful photography, too. I'm craving those potatoes. Simple, yet elegant.

    ReplyDelete
  38. I'd never be able to make this - it looks great! Next time just call me over for dinner - lol.

    ReplyDelete

Welcome to my home. Thank you for choosing to stay a while and for sharing our lives through food. I appreciate all your support, comments, suggestions, and daily encouragement.

Val

This blog uses comment moderation therefore SPAMMERS, SELF-PROMOTERS and ADVERTISERS will be deleted.