Eric Riperts Coq Au Vin Recipes

Steps:

• Remove giblets and neck from chicken and set aside. Rinse both chickens under cold water. Place one whole chicken, breast side down, on a cutting board. Using poultry scissors, cut along each side of the back bone, making sure to remove ribcage. Spread chicken open and cut through the center of the breast bone to separate chicken into two halves. Place each half skin side up; remove wings at the joint where they are attached to the breast. Separate leg and thigh from breast, cut to separate. Repeat process with second chicken. Transfer breasts and legs to refrigerator.
• Place backs, wings, and necks (if included) in a large saucepan; add 8 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat; immediately reduce heat to a low simmer. Simmer for 2 hours, skimming impurities from the top as stock cooks. Strain stock through a fine mesh sieve into a large container; discard solids. Stock can be made up to 1 day ahead and kept refrigerated until ready to use.
• Remove chicken pieces from refrigerator and season with salt and pepper. Dust chicken lightly with flour. Heat canola oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Working in batches, add chicken and cook, turning, until golden brown and crisp on all sides. Remove chicken from pot and set aside.
• Drain all but 1 tablespoon oil from pot. Add bacon, if using, and cook until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp. Add celery, carrot, onion, garlic, and mushrooms; cook stirring, until lightly caramelized, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add wine to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; let boil for 4 minutes.
• Add 2 tablespoons flour and tomato paste to pot with vegetable mixture. Add brandy to deglaze and return chicken to pot along with heated wine, 2 cups of the chicken stock (reserve any remaining chicken stock for another use), thyme, parsley, bay leaf. Bring liquid to a boil and immediately reduce heat to low; simmer until chicken is tender and begins to fall of the bone, about 2 hours.
• Carefully remove chicken from liquid and set aside; remove bacon and discard. Bring liquid to a boil; immediately reduce to a simmer. Let simmer until liquid is thickened and reduced by half. Return chicken to pot; season with salt and pepper. Serve with egg noodles.

Steps:

• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan or flameproof dish. Tip in 3 trimmed and chopped smoked back bacon rashers and fry until crisp. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.
• Add 12 peeled shallots to the pan and fry, stirring or shaking the pan often, for 5-8 mins until well browned all over. Remove and set aside with the bacon.
• Take 2 chicken legs, 4 chicken thighs and 2 boneless chicken breasts, all with skin removed and pat dry with kitchen paper.
• Pour ½ tbsp olive oil into the pan, then fry half the chicken pieces, turning regularly, for 5-8 mins until well browned. Remove, then repeat with the remaining chicken. Remove and set aside.
• Scatter in 3 finely chopped garlic cloves and fry briefly, then, with the heat medium-high, pour in 3 tbsp brandy or Cognac, stirring the bottom of the pan to deglaze. The alcohol should sizzle and start to evaporate so there is not much left.
• Return the chicken legs and thighs to the pan along with any juices, then pour in a little of 600ml red wine, stirring the bottom of the pan again.
• Stir in the rest of the wine, 150ml good-quality chicken stock and 2 tsp tomato purée. Drop in 3 thyme sprigs, 2 rosemary sprigs and 2 bay leaves to make a bouquet garni, season with pepper and a pinch of salt, then return the bacon and shallots to the pan.
• Cover, lower the heat to a gentle simmer, add the chicken breasts and cook for 50 mins - 1hr.
• Just before ready to serve, heat 1 ½ tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add 250g chestnut mushrooms, halved if large, and fry over a high heat for a few mins until golden. Remove and keep warm.
• Lift the chicken, shallots and bacon from the pan and transfer to a warmed serving dish. Remove the bouquet garni.
• To make the thickener, mix 2 tbsp plain flour, 1 ½ tsp olive oil and 1 tsp softened butter in a small bowl using the back of a teaspoon.
• Bring the wine mixture to a gentle boil, then gradually drop in small pieces of the thickener, whisking each piece in using a wire whisk. Simmer for 1-2 mins.
• Scatter the mushrooms over the chicken, then pour over the wine sauce. Garnish with a handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley.