Wirral Life October 2017 | Page 34

W L THE BUTCHERS CUT BY MUFFS OF BROMBOROUGH COQ AU VIN INGREDIENTS • • • • • Whole chicken cut into 10 portions (ask our butchers to do this for you) Salt & black pepper 4 slices of Smoky bacon cut into lardons (ask our butcher to do this) About 12 mushrooms - some cut in ¼, some in ½ Small onion, sliced 34 wirrallife.com METHOD • • • • • • • 6 shallots whole Chantennay carrots 2 teaspoons flour 3 teaspoons quality butter ½ bottle of good rich red wine, you must use a good quality one for this. Fresh thyme ½ pint of chicken stock 1. In an oven proof casserole, pot fry off the bacon until crispy then remove and keep to one side. 2. Season chicken with salt & pepper, then brown off the chicken skin side down to begin with. You’re not cooking all the way at this point just getting some colour on the chicken. Remove to one side. 3. Sweat off the mushroom, onion, shallots and carrots. 4. Put in the flour and butter and mix in well, ensuring no lumps. 5. Add the red wine along with the thyme and bacon. 6. Reduce by about one third then add the chicken and chicken stock and bring back up to a simmer. 7. In a pre-heated oven 200 o C bake for 30 minutes. Check the chicken is cooked all the way through. Always check the biggest pieces with the most bone. If they are cooked the rest should be. 8. Once the chicken is cooked plate it up. 9. Reduce the sauce if necessary to the right thickness and check for seasoning. Then spoon the sauce all over the chicken.