Coq au vin

Attrezzatura

• Heavy casserole with a lid (5–6 l)
• Wide frying pan (28 cm)
• Small saucepan
• Slotted spoon
• Long match or lighter for the cognac
• Instant-read thermometer

Prima di iniziare

1. Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes ahead and pat it very dry with kitchen paper.
2. Dice the onion and carrot, crush the garlic.
3. Tie the thyme, bay leaves and a few parsley stalks into a bundle with kitchen string.
4. Peel the pearl onions and trim the mushrooms.

Procedimento

1. 1

   Season the chicken

   1,8 kg chicken pieces, bone-in and skin-on8 g fine salt1 cucchiaino black pepper

   Season the chicken pieces all over with the salt and pepper.

   È pronto quando Every piece has an even, light coating of seasoning and the skin is dry to the touch.
2. 2

   Render the lardons

   150 g lardons1 cucchiaio sunflower oil

   Heat the oil in the casserole over medium heat. Add the lardons and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring, until golden. Lift them out with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind.

   È pronto quando The lardons are golden and crisp at the edges and the pan has a layer of clear, sizzling fat.

   Avvia il timer da 6 min
3. 3

   Brown the chicken

   1,8 kg chicken pieces, bone-in and skin-on

   Raise the heat to medium-high. Brown the chicken skin side down in batches, 4–5 minutes, then turn and brown the other side for 3 minutes. Set aside with the lardons.

   È pronto quando The skin is deep golden and releases from the pan without tearing.

   Consiglio Crowding the pan steams the chicken instead of browning it. Leave space between the pieces.

   Avvia il timer da 10 min
4. 4

   Soften the aromatics

   150 g onion120 g carrot3 spicchi garlic1 cucchiaio tomato paste

   Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat. Lower the heat to medium and cook the onion, carrot and garlic for 5 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute.

   È pronto quando The onion is soft and lightly golden and the tomato paste darkens to brick red.

   Avvia il timer da 5 min
5. 5

   Cook the flour

   25 g plain flour

   Sprinkle over the flour and stir for 2 minutes over medium heat.

   È pronto quando The flour disappears into the fat, the vegetables look coated and it smells nutty, not raw.

   Avvia il timer da 2 min
6. 6

   Flame the cognac

   45 ml cognac or brandy

   Take the casserole off the heat, pour in the cognac and light it carefully with a long match. Let the flames die down on their own.

   È pronto quando The flames have gone out and the sharp alcohol smell has turned sweet.

   Consiglio Keep your face and sleeves away from the pot and never pour cognac straight from the bottle near a flame.
7. 7

   Add the wine

   750 ml red wine250 ml chicken stock4 rametti thyme2 foglie bay leaves1,8 kg chicken pieces, bone-in and skin-on150 g lardons

   Pour in the wine and stock, scraping the bottom of the pot. Add the herb bundle, then return the chicken and lardons with their juices. Bring to the boil over high heat.

   È pronto quando The brown crust on the bottom has dissolved into the liquid and the chicken is almost covered.
8. 8

   Braise

   Lower the heat to low, cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer gently for 50–60 minutes.

   È pronto quando Only a few small bubbles break the surface and the meat starts to pull back from the ends of the bones.

   Consiglio A hard boil makes the chicken stringy. Keep it at a lazy simmer.

   Avvia il timer da 1 h
9. 9

   Glaze the pearl onions

   45 g unsalted butter250 g pearl onions1 cucchiaino sugar

   Meanwhile, put the pearl onions in the small saucepan with half of the butter, the sugar and enough water to come halfway up. Cook over medium heat for 12–15 minutes, shaking the pan, until the water has evaporated and they roll in the butter.

   È pronto quando The onions are tender when pierced with a knife and coated in a shiny, golden glaze.

   Avvia il timer da 15 min
10. 10

    Brown the mushrooms

    45 g unsalted butter300 g button mushrooms

    Melt the rest of the butter in the frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the mushrooms for 6–8 minutes without stirring for the first 3 minutes.

    È pronto quando The mushrooms are golden brown and the pan is dry; they squeak against the spatula.

    Consiglio Salt the mushrooms only at the end, or they release water and boil.

    Avvia il timer da 7 min
11. 11

    Check the chicken

    1,8 kg chicken pieces, bone-in and skin-on

    Test the thickest piece next to the bone with a thermometer: it must read at least 74 °C. Lift the chicken onto a warm dish and cover loosely with foil.

    È pronto quando The meat is tender when pierced and the juices run clear, with no pink near the bone.
12. 12

    Reduce the sauce

    Remove the herb bundle and skim off the fat on the surface. Boil the sauce over medium-high heat for 8–10 minutes until reduced by about a third. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

    È pronto quando The sauce is glossy, dark ruby and coats the back of a spoon; a finger drawn through it leaves a clear line.

    Avvia il timer da 10 min
13. 13

    Finish and serve

    250 g pearl onions300 g button mushrooms10 g flat-leaf parsley

    Return the chicken to the sauce with the onions and mushrooms and warm through over low heat for 2–3 minutes. Scatter over the parsley.

    È pronto quando Everything is glazed with sauce and gently steaming.

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