Coq au Vin

Method

1. Pat the chicken thoroughly dry with kitchen paper and season all over with the salt and pepper; wet skin won't brown. Cut the bacon into 1 cm strips, dice the onion and carrot into 1 cm pieces and chop the garlic. Peel the pearl onions and quarter any large mushrooms.

   Add in this stepBone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks 600 gSalt ¾ tspBlack pepper to taste

2. Put the oil and bacon in a heavy 24 cm casserole (cast iron is ideal) and cook over medium heat for 6 min, until the fat has rendered and the bacon is golden. Lift it out with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 1 tbspThick-cut smoked bacon 75 g

   medium heat

3. Add the butter, turn the heat to medium-high heat and lay the chicken in skin side down. Brown for 8 min, turning once, until deep golden on both sides; it doesn't need to be cooked through. Don't let the pieces touch: work in batches (number of batches: 1). Set the chicken aside on a plate.

   Add in this stepButter 10 g

   medium-high heat

4. If there's a lot of fat, pour off all but about 1 tablespoon. Add the onion and carrot and cook over medium heat for 5 min, until softened. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste, sprinkle over the flour and stir for 1 min more to cook out the raw flour taste.

   Add in this stepOnion 1Carrot 1Garlic cloves 2Tomato paste 1 tbspPlain flour 1½ tbsp

   medium heat

5. Take the pot off the heat and pour in the brandy (poured over a flame it can ignite), then return it to the heat, add the wine and stock and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken, bacon, thyme and bay leaves, bring to the boil over high heat, then lower to low heat, set the lid slightly ajar and simmer for 50 min, until the meat comes away easily from the bone.

   Add in this stepBrandy or cognac (optional) 2 tbspDry red wine (such as a Burgundy Pinot Noir) 450 mlChicken stock 100 mlFresh thyme sprigs 3Bay leaves 1

   high heat→low heat

6. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a 24 cm frying pan and cook the pearl onions over medium heat for 8 min, rolling them around until golden. Add the mushrooms and cook for 6 min more, until their liquid has evaporated and they are browned. Stir them into the pot for the last 15 minutes of simmering.

   Add in this stepButter 10 gPearl onions or small shallots 8Button mushrooms 150 g

   medium heat

7. Lift out the chicken and remove the thyme stalks and bay leaves. Boil the sauce uncovered over medium-high heat for 6 min, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste, season with the remaining salt, return the chicken to warm through and scatter with chopped parsley.

   Add in this stepSalt ¼ tspFlat-leaf parsley 4 g

   medium-high heat