not beautiful, but delicious--according to Nate
Four years ago, I promised Nate I'd make him coq au vin for his birthday. Coq au vin, or chicken with wine, is a famous French preparation, and I had planned to make it in honour of Nate's heritage; some of his ancestors come from the Alsace Lorraine region of France. My Mom sent me the recipe in an email, and I had talked through all of the potential problems with her. Unfortunately, I didn't anticipate waking up, the morning of his birthday, with a neck spasm that rendered me practically immobile. Cooking was out of the question. The plan was salvaged by taking Nate for a fancy dinner at a French-style restaurant in Halifax called Chateau Briand. But ever since, I have threatened to make this.
Today, we had a bottle of red wine that neither of us wanted to drink and so, almost exactly four years late, Nate finally had his French, birthday meal!
Many people make this dish in a cast iron pot that can be transferred to the oven, but as the title of this blog implies, there is only a hotplate involved.
Ingredients
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs olive oil
10-12 chicken drumsticks
200g slab bacon, chopped into small pieces.
1 large onion, halved and sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
3 ribs celery, roughly chopped into bite size pieces
15 pearl onions (blanched)
4 Tbs flour
3 sprigs fresh thyme
15 button mushrooms, cleaned
4 cups chicken stock
1 bottle red wine (750ml)
1 cup tomato sauce
3 bay leaves
Today, we had a bottle of red wine that neither of us wanted to drink and so, almost exactly four years late, Nate finally had his French, birthday meal!
Many people make this dish in a cast iron pot that can be transferred to the oven, but as the title of this blog implies, there is only a hotplate involved.
Ingredients
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs olive oil
10-12 chicken drumsticks
200g slab bacon, chopped into small pieces.
1 large onion, halved and sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
3 ribs celery, roughly chopped into bite size pieces
15 pearl onions (blanched)
4 Tbs flour
3 sprigs fresh thyme
15 button mushrooms, cleaned
4 cups chicken stock
1 bottle red wine (750ml)
1 cup tomato sauce
3 bay leaves
carrots are best sliced nice and chunky so they don't turn to mush over the long cooking time
Heat butter and olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Add the chicken pieces to the pot, skin side down so that they fit snugly yet have room to colour. Turn them after 2 mins and cook for another 2 mins. Remove the chicken to a plate.
these were arranged a little too snugly
Add the bacon to the pot and cook until golden. Reduce the heat to medium, add the sliced onion, carrot and celery and cook for 2 mins.
probably the only time you will see me cook bacon!
Stir the ingredients well, lifting the browned bits off the bottom of the pot. While stirring, add the flour and cook for 1 min. (This will create a roux and hold in all the flavours that have been created.)
Next, add the thyme, blanched pearl onions and the mushrooms to the pot and give them a stir. Then add the chicken and chicken stock. Simmer for 5 mins.
Next, add the red wine, bay leaves and tomato sauce.
Next, add the thyme, blanched pearl onions and the mushrooms to the pot and give them a stir. Then add the chicken and chicken stock. Simmer for 5 mins.
Next, add the red wine, bay leaves and tomato sauce.
Allow everything to simmer for about 20 minutes until the liquid reduces. Then cover the pot and simmer over medium heat for about forty minutes (until the chicken falls off the bone).
The liquid will reduce, and the stew will thicken. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add more salt and pepper if you like.
Don't eat the bayleaf! They have hallucinogenic properties.
Serve hot with some boiled potatoes or a nice French bread.
Nate really liked this--and he always tells the truth about the meal!
Nate really liked this--and he always tells the truth about the meal!
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