The difference between a fricassee and a stew is that with a fricassee you first brown the meat in fat (bacon fat or olive oil or olive oil and butter), and cook it for a few minutes until it gets plump and firm. Then you add liquid and slowly simmer the meat until it is thoroughly cooked and tender.
Coq au Vin is a delicious and elegant recipe with a depth of flavor that lifts your spirit and fills you with happiness. Actually, maybe it is the wine that does that!
It is traditionally served with braised pearl onions and sauteed mushrooms (recipes follow), but you can also serve it with steamed parsley potatoes or thick slices of artisan bread (I like sourdough).
It is best to use a fryer for this recipe and a five-quart Dutch oven with a lid.
1/4 pound bacon
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 - 3 pound frying chicken cut into 8 parts
kosher salt or sea salt and fresh ground white pepper to taste
1/4 cup brandy or cognac
3 cups young full-bodied red wine (Burgundy, Cote du Rhone, Beaujolais, or Pinot Noir)
2 cups chicken broth (home made or low sodium if store bought)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and mashed
bouquet garnis of a few fresh thyme sprigs tied with string (remove after cooking)
1 cup braised pearl onions
½ pound sauteed cremini mushrooms
beurre manie made from 2 tablespoons unsalted butter mashed together with 3 tablespoons of flour
fresh flat leaf parsley for garnish
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Cut bacon into lardons (1 inch wide) and sautee in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until lightly browned. Remove bacon to a plate.
Brown chicken parts in bacon fat and olive oil. Season both sides of the browned chicken with salt and fresh ground white pepper, add bacon, cover and cook on medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until chicken is plump and firm.
Uncover, pour in brandy or cognac and very carefully light with a match, averting your eyes and keeping your hands away. Put on oven mitts and shake pot gently side to side until the fire subsides. The fire will burn off the alcohol and leave the cognac taste.
A word of caution:
If you are uncomfortable lighting the cognac, you can just add it without lighting it, or leave it out altogether. Please be very careful if you do light it and only do so if you are completely comfortable doing it. If your stove has anything above it, like a microwave, do not light the cognac. Singed eyebrows will take away the romantic effect of your dinner.
Add wine, chicken broth, tomato paste, garlic, and bouquet garnis, and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for one hour until chicken is tender. Remove chicken parts to side dish.
Bring liquid in pot to a boil and reduce to 2 cups. Blend butter and flour with a fork on a small plate until fully incorporated. Add to liquid and stir in with a whisk. The sauce will thicken to point that it can lightly coat a spoon.
Arrange chicken in pot and add braised onions and sauteed mushrooms decoratively. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Braised Pearl Onions
Melt 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter in 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small sauce pan. Once butter and oil start to bubble, add 1 cup peeled pearl onions and saute over medium heat for 10 minutes. Gently roll onions to brown all sides but be careful not to break the skins.
Once browned, add ½ c of beef stock and salt and pepper to taste. Lower heat to a simmer, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Onions should be tender but fully shaped and liquid should be evaporated.
Sauteed Cremini Mushrooms
Melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small sautee pan on high heat. Once butter and oil have bubbled, add mushrooms and sautee for 5 minutes, moving mushrooms with a wooden spoon. Once browned, remove from heat.
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