Coq Au Vin (Time Life)

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Parboil the pieces of salt pork (rind removed, sliced 2/3" thick, cut in
cubes)  for 2 minutes, drain and dry them in a towel.  Put them to fry
over low heat in a large, heavy sauteuse or skillet with a bit of oil or
butter. When the pieces are golden brown, remove them and put the aside.
In the same cooking fat, place the carrots (cut into sections 1 to 2 "
long) and chopped onions.  Keep the heat between medium and low, and allow
them to cook, stirring regularly to avoid overbrowning, for 20 to 30
minutes.  Remove the vegetables, put the aside and replace them with the
chicken pieces, previously salted.  Cook the chicken over a somewhat
higher heat until gently browned on all sides, sprinkle with flour and
continue to cook, turning the pieces as necessary.  Return the sauteed
onions and carrots to the pan.  When the flour has cooked for a few
minutes, pour in the brandy, carefully set it alight and stir. When the
flames have died, add the wine and raise the heat. Stir the chicken pieces
and move them around until the liquid comes to a boil. At this point, if
the skillet is already overfull of the chicken, or if perhaps you have had
to use two skillets and both seem too full to permit adding the
vegetables, keep the carrots and onions aside and add them later when the
chicken goes into the oven dish.
Transfer the chicken pieces and vegetables to an earthenware, copper or
enameled cast-iron casserole with a lid.  Stir and scrape the first pan
with a wooden spoon to loosen and dissolve the frying adherents, then pour
the liquid over the chicken pieces.  If they are not completely covered,
add enough wine, water or good stock (water is better than indifferent
stock) to barely, but entirely cover them.   Add the bouquet garni (or
simply sprinkle with thyme) and add the bay leaf and parsley springs
untide). Put to cook, covered, in the oven, regulating the heat so that
the sauce hardly simmers.  The length of cooking time depends on the birds
age and "past" -- from 30 to 45 minutes for a fryer that has never
exercised to 1-1/2 hours for a 10-month old rooster, and an hour longer
still for one that may be too old to have a fine flesh but will produce a
marvelous sauce.
Meanwhile, cook the boiling onions, seasoned, in the butter over very low
heat, shaking the pan from time to time, for 20 to 30 minutes. Keep them
covered and avoid brorwning them;  if the saucepan is not heavy enough,
you may have to use a fireproof pad over the heat source. Remove the
onions when they are done anduse the same pan to fry the mushrooms. Trim
the mushroom stems and cut the caps into two or four pieces (if they are
small, leave them whole).   Toss them in the butter over high heat for 2
or 3 minutes;  season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Transfe the chicken pieces and the carrots to a platter.  Pass the cooking
liquid through a fine sieve into a saucepan, using a pestle to work the
residue.  Discard the remains the the bouquet garni. In the saucepan, skim
as much fat from the surface of the liquid as possible and bring it to a
boil, then positiion the saucepan over the heat so as to permit its
contents to simmer only on one side.   Carefully skim off all fat and
impurities as the surface over the next 30 minutes or so. If at this
point, the sauce is still too thin, turn up the heat to create a fast
boil, stirring constantly until you achieve the right consistency.
Put the chicken pieces and the carrots back in the oven dish, distribute
the garnish (sauteed mushrooms, glazed boiling onions, and fried pork
sections) on top and pour over the sauce.  Cover and return to the oven to
simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes. Brown the triangles of bread (crusts
removed, each slice cut diagonally) in butter over low heat until golden
and crisp. (They may be prepared ahead of time and rewarmed in the oven).
To serve, place the chicken pieces more or less symmetrically on a large,
warmed platter.  Rub the cruton triangles with the clove of garlic, dip a
corner of each triangle in the sauce, then in the chopped parsey and
arrange them around the edge of the platter, parslied tips pointing out.
Pour sauce and garnish over the chicken and sprinkle with a bit of chopped
parsley.  Serve with steamed potatoes.
Recipe By     : Richard Olney, The French Menu Cookbook
Posted to MC-Recipe Digest V1 #254
Date: Mon, 21 Oct 1996 23:28:20 -0500
From: "Lou B. Parris" <lbparris@earthlink.net>
NOTES : This is a day's work - but absolutely delicious.

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