Simple & Easy French Classic
Yes, I know, I do seem to eat out a lot but sometimes I challenge myself to cook something different at home. I'm very much a kitchen novice compared to the likes of Not Quite Nigella and A Table for Two but if a recipe is simple enough, doesn't include expensive fancy ingredients and I have the time then I'll have the courage and patience to give it a go. I vividly remember when Aaron tried to cook coq au vin on Masterchef Episode 7 I thought to myself that I had no idea how I'd cook a coq au vin. He's attempt "was declared a failure by the judges. Gary said it wasn’t coq au vin at all but red wine poached chicken, which was dry. Matt said it looked pretty but all the components were a miss and people don’t eat food just for its looks" — so I thought it must be quite difficult.
Doing a quick search for coq au vin recipes I came across this simple one by SBS created by Gabriel Gaté which includes a cooking video. Ingredients are basic and preparation is simple so I gave it a go and found it very easy to follow. I couldn't find small onions so substituted for French eschallots, which are a bugger to peel by the way, and I didn't have any cognac so skipped the flame which could have been scary yet fun I think. In the end it turned out well and I didn't poison myself so that's a bonus! I'm hoping to try my hand at Bouillabaisse when I get the time and motivation.
The Preparation
Onions, bacon and mushrooms cooked and set aside
Cooking the chicken with herbs and red wine
Onions, bacon and mushrooms combined with chicken
Voyager Estate: Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2003
The Dish
Coq au vin served with potato mash, carrots and french beans, Chef Leong :-)
Crème caramel
The herb garden addition
Thyme from fruit market $3.95
The Recipe
Serves 4
Ingredients
20 small onions (pickling onions)
A few sprigs of parsley
A sprig of thyme
1 bay leaf
50 g butter
About 100 g bacon, cut into small strips
About 250 g mushrooms
8 chicken pieces on the bone, e.g. 4 drumsticks and 4 thighs
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
About 30 ml cognac
1 large tbsp plain flour
About 400 ml red wine
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp chopped parsley
Preparation
Place peeled onions in a saucepan with cold water. Bring to the boil and boil for 2 minutes, then drain.
Tie the parsley, thyme and bay leaf together using kitchen string.
Heat half the butter in a wide saucepan on medium heat and brown onions for a few minutes. Add bacon and stir well for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes until mushrooms are soft. Transfer onions, bacon and mushrooms to a dish.
Heat remaining butter in the same pan and brown chicken pieces on high heat for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir well.
Drain excess fat into a bowl and discard.
Add cognac to pan and flame the chicken by either lighting a match or by tilting the pan towards the gas flame. Stir well, then sprinkle flour over the chicken.
Add wine and shake the pan. Add herbs, garlic and tomato paste and stir well. Bring to a slow simmer, cover with a lid and cook for about 20 minutes.
Turn chicken pieces over. Add mushrooms, bacon and onions, cover with a lid and simmer for a further 10 minutes.
Check the seasoning, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
20 small onions (pickling onions)
A few sprigs of parsley
A sprig of thyme
1 bay leaf
50 g butter
About 100 g bacon, cut into small strips
About 250 g mushrooms
8 chicken pieces on the bone, e.g. 4 drumsticks and 4 thighs
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
About 30 ml cognac
1 large tbsp plain flour
About 400 ml red wine
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp chopped parsley
Preparation
Place peeled onions in a saucepan with cold water. Bring to the boil and boil for 2 minutes, then drain.
Tie the parsley, thyme and bay leaf together using kitchen string.
Heat half the butter in a wide saucepan on medium heat and brown onions for a few minutes. Add bacon and stir well for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes until mushrooms are soft. Transfer onions, bacon and mushrooms to a dish.
Heat remaining butter in the same pan and brown chicken pieces on high heat for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir well.
Drain excess fat into a bowl and discard.
Add cognac to pan and flame the chicken by either lighting a match or by tilting the pan towards the gas flame. Stir well, then sprinkle flour over the chicken.
Add wine and shake the pan. Add herbs, garlic and tomato paste and stir well. Bring to a slow simmer, cover with a lid and cook for about 20 minutes.
Turn chicken pieces over. Add mushrooms, bacon and onions, cover with a lid and simmer for a further 10 minutes.
Check the seasoning, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
9 comments:
Your coq au vin looks so good! I love watching SBS food. They have many good recipes that work.
Hmmmm I love coq au vin, but never cooked it myself. Yours looks good enough to eat of the screen. I chuckled at your dessert. I was super impressed I thought you have made your own creme caramel and it looked so perfect, unil I scrolled down! Hey if someone can make something thats tastes awesome, why mess with it right?
that looks awesome! and lol not poisoning yourself is always a bonus =P
Hi Ellie, I think I'll be more confident with more of their recipes, they seem to be written well and easy to follow.
Hi Maria, I found a recipe for Creme Brulee but it makes 6 so might make next time when the family is free. If i have more time I'll try and make the dessert but those supermarket creme caramels were cheap and tasty :-)
Hi chocolatesuze, the last 2 times I've had French food and red wine has made me sick so I'm glad I didn't react this time, hence the poisoning factor :-)
You're so not a novice! I ate some of your delicious food at your party and sorry but you're nowhere near a novice :P
Yum, this looks great Simon. Can't wait for the bouillabaise ;)
Been loving the french food on SBS every night during Le Tour too. Only 3 more nights left of Gabriel Gaté and his alter ego François until we have to wait another year.
I have never tried coq au vin (so sad, rite?). So I have no idea how it taste like but this one looks perfect !
And I was laughing when scrolled down and see the creme caremel by Divine Classic..haha . Agree about making desserts just for 1 person is not such a good idea sometimes. Oh and the supermarket tiramisu is also not bad. (actually the packet is like this but not sure if it is this brand.)
This has to be a coincidence! I have literally just cooked the coq au vin as per Manu Feildel's recipe in the current Vogue Entertaining. I now have to try yours, given that you've got tomato paste in yours, which'll add another dimension to it. Gobsmack'd
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