Recipe: Coq au vin

Prep Time
1 hr 30 mins
(12 hrs inactive)

Serves
2

Ingredients
4 chicken thighs
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
3 cups red wine
1 bay leaf
4 springs fresh thyme

3 oz bacon lardon, diced ¼ -inch
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, medium diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
8 oz button mushrooms
2 rib celery, sliced
2 garlic clove, sliced
1 teaspoon tomato paste
2 oz brandy
12 peeled cippolini onions
12 baby new potatoes
3 cups chicken stock
¼ cup parsley, chopped

Directions
1. Season chicken thighs with 2 ¼ teaspoons of kosher salt and black pepper, in a medium bowl combine chicken, wine, bay leaf and thyme. Make sure chicken is fully submerged in wine, cover and refrigerate overnight, or at least 3 hours. 

2. Heat pan over medium low heat; add lardons and render the fat and allow to golden and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Scoop out lardons with slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and leave fat in cast iron. 

3. Remove chicken from wine, keeping the marinate. Pat thighs dry, with paper towel until super dry. Heat bacon fat in cast iron over medium high heat, working in batches, sear all sides of chicken, once browned remove chicken and rest with lardons on plate. 

4. Now with the cast iron over medium heat, stir in cippolini, carrots, mushrooms, new potatoes, garlic into left over fat, add tomato pasta and cook out for 5 minutes, remove from heat, deglaze with brandy, allow alcohol to light on fire. Once flame dies down, add reserved marinate and chicken stock, bring to a boil on high heat, and reduce to a simmer and reduce liquid by half, 10 to 12 minutes. Skimming any scum that comes to the top. 

5. Add chicken, lardons and any juice on the plate. Cover with the cast iron lid and simmer lightly for 35 minutes, turning the chicken halfway through, uncover the cast iron the last 15 minutes of cooking to allow the sauce to thicken. Season with chopped parsley and salt and pepper to taste.