A chicken in every pot is a quintessentially American promise. A chicken in every pot with lots of red wine, vegetables, bacon, herbs and seasonings. . . Well, that’s as purely French as Brigitte Bardot.
Coq au vin is a classic of the French kitchen. Originally a peasant dish developed to tenderize a tough old rooster, it can be tweaked, streamlined, modernized, given a modest sheen of elegance (as chef Isaac Cherny of Pistache does here). But it’s lusty, soulful, comforting character is virtually impossible to hide, perhaps the reason it has endured—in one form or another—for hundreds of years.
COQ AU VIN
Chef Isaac Cherny, Pistache
4 large chicken leg quarters
1 tablespoon duck fat
1 quart Burgundy wine
1 pint Red Port
1 pint chicken stock
1 pint veal stock or high-quality beef stock
1/2 white onion (medium dice)
1 each carrot (medium dice)
1 each celery (medium dice)
2 garlic cloves (crushed)
1/4 pound button mushrooms (washed)
Bouquet garni
1/2 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon cloves, whole
1-1/2 tablespoon peppercorns
2 teaspoons Allspice berries
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs thyme
1 sprig rosemary
For vegetables
8 each baby carrots
2 each pearl onions (peeled)
1/2 pound button mushrooms
8 each strips of bacon (thick cut)
8 each small redskin potatoes (quartered)
4 tablespoons butter
2 sprigs thyme
1 shallot, split in half
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Canola oil
Chopped parsley
For marinade: Warm the red wine, red port, and bouquet garni in saucepan. Separate chicken legs and thighs. In large saucepan or Dutch oven, sear chicken pieces in duck fat until golden, then remove and place in non-reactive container. Pour wine mixture over chicken and refrigerate overnight.
For chicken: Remove chicken from wine and reserve. Combine wine mixture with chicken and veal stocks and bring to boil. In another large pan, sear vegetables until golden. Place chicken on top of vegetables, add wine and stock mixture, bring to a simmer, then cook in 350-degree oven until tender, about one hour. Remove from oven and let chicken cool in liquid. When cooled, remove chicken and strain out vegetables. Skim off fat and reduce by one-half.
For vegetables: Cut the bacon into quarter-inch pieces and slowly render the fat in a large sauté pan. Remove bacon from pan and place on high heat. Add pearl onions and saute until golden, stirring occasionally. When onions are done, remove and add mushrooms, adding a tablespoon of canola oil if necessary. When mushrooms are done, remove from pan and reserve with onions and bacon.
In separate skillet, add 2 tablespoons of canola oil and saute carrots over high heat until golden, then turn heat to low and add butter, thyme, shallot and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook until tender.
To serve: In large pot, reheat chicken pieces and reduced braising liquid. Add bacon, onions and mushrooms. In separate pan add 2 tablespoons of butter and saute until golden. Place chicken pieces and vegetables on large platter or individual plates, pour remaining sauce over them (if using platter) or divide sauce by four for each person. Place carrots and potatoes on top of chicken and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with crusty baguette.
