Coq au Vin (Rooster or Cockerel in Wine)
If you begin looking for traditional coq au vin recipes, you may just become a little frustrated! Every region in France tends to have their own version. My best tip is to not use a gutsy red such as cab sav, but a lighter, fruitier pinot noir, or at a push, a shiraz.
Note that you will need to start this dish the night before, or at a pinch first thing in the morning for an evening meal...
Category:
Main
Style:
French
Keyword:
Chicken, Cockerel, Coq, Gluten Free Option, Rooster, Wine
Quantity: 6 - 8 serves
Ingredients
- Bouquet garni (1 bay leaf, 1 sprig thyme, 1 sprig rosemary, 1 piece of celery and 8 sprigs parsley all tied up in a layer of leek)
- 1 cockerel or rooster (approx 1.7 kg), cut into 10 serving pieces
- 1 bottle of pinot noir or red Burgundy, such as Chambertin
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 tbsp plain flour, or gluten free flour blend
- 1 slice streaky bacon, about 100 g
- 24 button (little) mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 60 g butter
- 24 shallots, peeled
- 2 tablespoons cognac or brandy
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 4 pinches of freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon sugar
For serving
- Croutons/crostini or
- Vegetables of choice
Instructions
You will need to begin this recipe the night before cooking.
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Lay the herbs for the bouquet garni inside the leek and tie, securely with kitchen twine.
-
Place the cockerel pieces and bouquet garni into a large non-reactive bowl and add the wine, moving the pieces of cockerel around to make sure that everything is submerged. Marinate overnight
The following day...
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The next day, remove the chicken from the marinade and pat the cockerel dry with paper towel. Set the marinade and bouquet garni aside.
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Season the cockerel with salt and pepper. Spread the flour on a plate and roll the cockerel pieces in the flour, shaking off any excess.
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Remove the rind from the bacon and discard. Cut the bacon into thin matchsticks
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Clean the mushrooms with paper towel, and leave whole.
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Heat the oil in a 4-6 litre pot, add the butter and then the onions, bacon and mushrooms, and cook, stirring, until softened. Remove and set aside.
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In the same pot, brown the cockerel pieces on all sides for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in the cognac and CAREFULLY ignite, shaking the pot gently until flames subside.
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Pour in the wine and stir in the bouquet garni, garlic, salt, pepper, nutmeg and sugar. Bring to simmer and cook for 1 hour, stirring from time to time.
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Add the mushroom mixture and cook for 30 minutes longer.
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Remove the cooked cockerel pieces from the pot and arrange on a serving platter. Remove the bouquet garni and discard.
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Boil the sauce over high heat for 2 minutes, or until thickened. Pour over the cockerel and serve immediately, accompanied by croutons or vegetables of choice.
Notes
- A cockerel is a male chicken that is less than twelve months old, a rooster, or coq, is a male chicken that is more than twelve months old.
- I find that potatoes and Brussels sprouts or green beans go perfectly with this dish.
- Gluten Free Flour Blend link
If you have a moment, I would love to hear your thoughts on what you see on
this page – just pop a note in the comments box below.
With many thanks and kindness,
Julie.
