food and drink, recipes

Another French-themed dinner last night, this time in honour of Bastille Day (and to reciprocate on two dinner invitations received well over two years ago – what took us so long?).

We had the baked camembert with home-made bread as a starter, and tarte Tatin for dessert (this time served with some gorgeous home-made cinnamon icecream prepared by Dr B.).

The main course was based on Delia Smith's coq au vin recipe,with a couple of changes to make it more user-friendly (read: we are breast men).

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 1 chicken leg or breast per person, with skin
• 1 bottle red wine (preferably Bourgogne)
• 25g + 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 200g streaky unsmoked bacon
• 18 button onions
• 250g button mushrooms
• thyme (fresh or dried)
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 2 cloves garlic

Preparation

1. Melt 25g butter and oil in a large frying pan
2. Brown 3 chicken breasts, skin-side first
3. Repeat with the other chicken breasts
4. Place chicken breasts in a casserole where they fit snugly
5. Chop and brown the bacon in the same frying pan, then add it to the chicken
6. Brown the onions (keep them whole) and add them to the chicken
7. Add crushed garlic, thyme and bay leaves to the chicken
8. Season with pepper and just a little salt
9. Pour the bottle of wine on the chicken
10. Cover and simmer on moderate heat for 45 minutes
11. IMPORTANT: refrigerate for 24 hours minimum, to let the flavours develope and merge
12. Just before serving, place whole mushrooms on top and simmer for another 15 minutes
13. Discard thyme and bay leaves
14. Place chicken, onions, bacon and mushrooms in a serving dish and keep warm
15. Bring the remaining liquid to the boil and reduce by one third
16. Make a paste with the tablespoon of butter and the flour
17. Stir the paste into the liquid
18. Pour the liquid on the chicken and serve

Coq au vin, originally uploaded by bitful.