Cooking corner

Coq au vin

A bit expensive, but great for that special occasion.
Ingredients
1 large size chicken
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp butter
3 slices streaky bacon
12 baby onions or shallots, peeled
4 cloves garlic lightly crushed
1 small glass brandy
1 bottle Pinot noir
1 cup chicken stock
12 button mushrooms
bouquet garni of bay leaf, parsley and thyme tied together
finely chopped parsley for garnish.
flour for dusting
salt and pepper

Method
Pre-heat oven to 190 degrees
Cut chicken into six or eight pieces and lightly dust with flour.
Heat the oil and I tbsp of butter in a heavy based casserole dish then add chicken.
Fry until the skin is crisp and golden then remove and keep aside.
Add bacon, onions and garlic to the dish and fry for about 3 to 4 minutes (until the onions brown slightly) stirring constantly.

Return chicken and add the brandy, wine, stock, salt pepper and garni.
Bring to a simmer, cover dish with lid and place in the pre- heated oven to simmer gently for about 1 ½ hours.

While the chicken is cooking brown the mushrooms in butter in frying pan and add to the casserole for the final ten minutes of cooking.

When cooked lift chicken, onions and mushrooms from casserole and keep warm while boiling the liquid rapidly on a stove top until it becomes concentrated. Discard the bouquet garni and spoon sauce over the chicken, garnish with parsley and serve.