Welsh Family Kitchen
Coq au Vin with rice and Brussels Sprouts
In September of 2006, while vacationing at Walt Disney World, we happened upon Cooking with Mickey and the Disney Chefs. Volumes 1 and 2. These two cookbooks contain recipes from the Disney Resorts and Disney Cruise Line.
The airy, light-filled Les Chefs de France (at EPCOT at Walt Disney World) offers traditional bistro dishes, including this classic chicken dish simmered slowly in rosy Beaujolais.
This is our version, shown with rice and Brussels Sprouts.
Ingredients:
2 lbs bone-in chicken parts (breasts, wings, drumsticks, thighs)
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1.5 oz salt-pork fat
2 T Butter
1 medium onion, chopped
6 pearl onions, peeled
1/4 lb whole mushrooms 		EVOO
2 T all-purpose flour
1 t Garlic
750 ml Shiraz
750 ml Beaujolais Wine
1/4 t Thyme
1/4 t Parsley
2 Bay Leaves
1.5 Cups Chicken Stock, if needed
Procedures:
  1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper; set aside
  2. Cut the pork fat into 1/2" cubes and place in a small skillet. Cover with cold water and bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and pat the cubes dry with paper towels.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350oF
  4. In a large, ovenproof pan, heat butter, pork fat, and pearl onions over medium-high heat on the stove top. When onions are golden brown, remove them and the pork fat with a slotted spoon; set aside.
  5. In the same butter, add 2 Tablespoons of EVOO and cook the mushrooms over high heat until slightly brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside with the onions.
  6. Add more EVOO and sauté the chicken in the same pan, over high heat, about 2 minutes on each side, until brown. Sprinkle the chicken with flour and place uncovered in the oven for 5 minutes.
  7. Remove chicken from the oven and reduce heat to 250oF. Add the garlic to the chicken and stir 1 minute.  Return to the stove top, add wine, and bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Add herbs, onions, pork fat and mushrooms. Add stock, if necessary, to cover the meat. Cover the pan and bake in the oven for 1.5 hours.
  8. Remove from oven, place chicken in a serving dish, and strain sauce to remove vegetables. Discard fresh herbs; set aside. Taste sauce, adding salt and pepper to taste. Serve the chicken with the sauce and vegetables poured over it, along with potatoes or rice.
Notes:
2012-11-05" We used a Shiraz and it's still the wrong wine. Perhaps a Zinfandel, next time.
2009-09-30: We replaced the pearl onions, and Beaujolais with a regular onion and Shiraz and added EVOO, The chicken stock wasn't needed. This really didn't work, tonight. Margaret and I gave the results a C-, and Lyd gave it a D+. We're going to take it out of our dinner rotation.
2007-05-06: Excellent. The wine turns the chicken purple.
2006-09-16: Use brown rice and remove chicken and veggies and reduce sauce.

03/11/2015