Seasonal! Beef Crãƒâªpe Au Vin Rouge
Quintessentially French, Coq Au Vin Rouge (literally "rooster in red wine") is an iconic dish from the rustic cooking repertoire of France. Made from a whole chicken cut into 8 pieces, with bacon, mushrooms and carrots, it is traditionally cooked using Burgundy red wine, resulting in its signature purplish sauce.
The origin of Coq Au Vin
It is said "Coq au Vin" recipes were originally developed by the French to cook the tough meat of older roosters – and to make it more tender and enjoyable.
In many ways, the classic Coq Au Vin Rouge recipe can remind of Beef Bourguignon– another recipe of the Burgundy region – as the meat is braised in Burgundy wine with carrots, mushrooms and onions as staple fixings.
But you will find in fact a plethora of Coq Au Vin recipes throughout France. The basic components of the recipe remain the same: chicken on the bone, vegetable fixings and wine – with each region using their own locally-produced bottle. Some of these most famous takes include Coq au Pourpre (made with Beaujolais Nouveau), Coq Au Riesling (made in Alsace region), Coq Au Champagne (made in Champagne region). Coq Au Vin Blanc, traditionally made with a dry white wine is another popular take that brighter and fruitier in flavor, with the sauce optionally enriched with cream.
A popular French dish since the early 20th century, Coq Au Vin was brought to fame in North America thanks to cooking teacher Julia Child, who included her version of it in her 1961 cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
The classic Coq Au Vin Rouge recipe
The classic Coq Au Vin Rouge recipe has a big reputation, which includes taking zero short cuts to achieve its authentic flavors. But, you will quickly realize how it is still a very approachable recipe. All the ingredients, techniques and instructions are straightforward and easy to complete. Choose your ingredients wisely, take it step-by-step and you'll be all set for success.
The chicken
A Coq Au Vin is meant to use awhole bird, cut into pieces . Bone-in pieces truly impart so much flavor to this dish, so I recommend you go this route. Choose thebest quality bird you can find. A locally raised and free-range bird is ideal. You can ask your butcher to cut a chicken into 8 pieces: 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 wings and 2 breasts. Or you can do it yourself (it is much easier than what you think!) – you can watch this video toguide you. Make sure you keep the carcass to makechicken stock.
The red wine
To build a classic Coq Au Vin rouge, a dry and fruity red Burgundy wine is typically preferred.
Good choices include:
- Pinot Noir (light-bodied)
- Gamay (light-bodied)
- Merlot (medium-bodied)
- Cabernet Sauvignon (full-bodied)
You can opt for a full-bodied wine for a rich and complex sauce or a light-bodied wine for a lighter sauce. You shouldn't necessarily reach for a pricy bottle, but one that is still drinkable (forget the "cooking wines" from the grocery store!).
The Beurre mani é
Beurre manié, French for « kneaded butter », consists of equal parts soft (room-temperature) butter and flour kneaded together by hand or with a fork to form a paste. The raw paste is then traditionally used to thicken soups and sauces – just like in the Coq Au Vin. While the flour acts as a thickener and provides body to the sauce, the butter imparts a shiny texture.
Adding beurre manié into the sauce is a last-minute step, to be done just before serving your dish – guaranteeing you will bring to the table a rich-looking, glistening Coq Au Vin Rouge.
Final cooking tips:
- Take the chicken pieces out of the fridge at least 2 hours before you cook them, to allow them to get close to room temperature. Pat the chicken dry very thoroughly, which will make for an extra-crisp skin when cooking.
- In France, "lardons" are used in this recipe. Lardons is slab bacon sliced into matchsticks. Instead, we're using bacon here to recreate lardons sticks.
- For this recipe, you will need a large skillet or Dutch oven (with a lid) that can go from the stove-top to the oven.
How to serve Coq Au Vin Rouge?
Coq Au Vin Rouge truly is a delicious, hearty and comforting recipe. Yet it is a little more impressive than your average chicken stew, if you ask me. This big dish is perfectly suited for hosting, as it tastes even better the next day. You can make this recipe the day before, and re-heat it over low heat just before serving.
Coq Au Vin is best served over mashed potatoes, large tagliatelle pasta, or white rice. A crusty baguette on the side is mandatory for dipping into the sauce.
I hope you'll love thisClassic Coq Au Vin Rouge recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions, please leave a comment.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Leave a comment below, rate the recipe and/or share a photo on Instagram and tag @pardonyourfrench
Source: https://www.pardonyourfrench.com/classic-french-coq-au-vin-rouge/
Post a Comment for "Seasonal! Beef Crãƒâªpe Au Vin Rouge"