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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
Author: sbaskitchen
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.
  1. Lay the herbs for the bouquet garni inside the leek and tie, securely with kitchen twine.
  2. 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...
  1. The next day, remove the chicken from the marinade and pat the cockerel dry with paper towel. Set the marinade and bouquet garni aside.
  2. 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.
  3. Remove the rind from the bacon and discard. Cut the bacon into thin matchsticks
  4. Clean the mushrooms with paper towel, and leave whole.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. Add the mushroom mixture and cook for 30 minutes longer.
  9. Remove the cooked cockerel pieces from the pot and arrange on a serving platter. Remove the bouquet garni and discard.
  10. 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