P is for Purple Chicken (better known as Coq au Vin)

I love French food.  I love the words, the richness, the fanciness.  I do not love the time-consuming preparation and endless lists of ingredients.  However, from time to time I can make it happen.  And I made it happen this week.  I feel fully entitled to whip out the china for a dish that has "au" in the title...and yet, Peter and I sometimes eat pizza on our wedding china, so I guess I feel entitled to use it whenever I want!  Regardless, this is a meal that is best served on fancy dishes from my le Creuset dutch oven.

I used Ina Garten's Coq au Vin recipe, with just a tiny bit of tweaking.  I couldn't find the cremini mushrooms she called for at our Harris Teeter, so I used ordinary sliced mushrooms.  I also didn't have what she calls "nice bacon," so I just used some diced up thick cut bacon.  Instead of a burgundy, I used one of my favorite cooking red wines, which is Rex Goliath Cabernet Sauvignon.  It's inexpensive, but just great for sipping on as I cook with the rest of the bottle.  Because Peter is not a big fan of onions, I left out the 1/2 lb. of small whole onions and instead used 2 diced onions.  Like Ina calls for, we did ignite the brandy to burn off the alcohol, but we didn't get a huge flare-up like I've seen on The Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network.  We got a one-inch flickering flame.  I was disappointed to say the least.  Below is a picture of my "fire."  You can't even see it.  I know.

The flavors of this dish are wonderful.  My least favorite part of this recipe though, is the color.  The chicken soaks up all the delicious red wine as it cooks...but then it's purple.  Really purple.  And all the way through, not just on the skin.  I served the chicken over creamy polenta with a little steamed spinach and I turned the lights down, so my dinner guests still enjoyed it without commenting on the plum and amethyst hues.  

Here's the recipe if you'd like to create some purple French goodness at your house:


Coq au Vin
adapted from Barefoot Contessa's Back to Basics

4 oz. bacon or pancetta, diced
1 3-4 lb. chicken, cut into 8 pieces
kosher salt and pepper
1/2 lb. carrots cut into 1 inch pieces (I used some shreds that I had leftover)
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1/2 c. brandy or Cognac (I used brandy)
1/2 bottle good dry red wine such as Burgundy
1 c. good chicken stock (I used Peter's homemade stock)
10 fresh thyme sprigs
4 Tbsp. butter at room temp
1 1/2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 lb. frozen small whole onions (I left these out)
1/2 lb. cremini mushrooms

Preheat oven to 250.
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven and cook the bacon until browned.  Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate.

Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Brown the chicken pieces in batches in the bacon grease for about 5 minutes, turning once.  Remove the chicken to a plate and continue to brown the other pieces until it's all done.  Set aside.

Add carrots, onions, 2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. pepper to the pan and cook for 10-12 minutes over medium heat.  Once the onions are brown, add the garlic and cook for another minute.  Add the brandy and use a lighter or match to light a fire and burn off the alcohol.  Add the bacon, chicken, and any juices from the plate into the Dutch oven.  Add the wine, chicken stock, and thyme and bring to a simmer.  Cover with the lid and put it into the oven for 30-40 minutes so the chicken can finish cooking through.  Take it out of the oven and put it on the stove.

Mash 2 Tbsp. butter with the flour and stir into the stew.  Add frozen onions.  In a medium sauce pan, add the other 2 Tbsp. butter and cook the mushrooms for about 5 minutes over medium heat.  Add the softened mushrooms to the stew and bring the stew to a simmer.  Cook it for another 10 minutes and add salt and pepper if needed.

Serve it straight away with potatoes or your favorite creamy carb.  I chose polenta and it was delicious!