Easy Coq au vin (chicken stewed in wine)

Coq au vin is literally rooster (cock) cooked in wine.  Its a classic French peasant dish that is oh so very tasty.  Of course when you use an old rooster, its all tough as it is an old bird.  My version is using regular store bought chicken parts that are generally from young birds.  The meat is infinitely more tender and as such doesn't need to soak in wine forever to marinate and break down the meat.

Of course I cheat even more by buying already whacked chicken parts at Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets.  I use both the chicken thigh and chicken breast.  Both bring different flavors to the dish more like you'd get with a whole chicken.  Also its damn easy which is a good thing in my book.

This version also is heavily influenced by Janna who asked about cooking with flavored salts on another post.  Yes, indeedy, I used my sel gris aux herbes in the marinade and did not regret it one bit.  Yowsa- its some good stuff there Maynard.

Easy Coq Au Vin

• 1 2 lb package chicken breasts
  
• 1 2 lb package de-boned chicken thighs
  
• 2 c red wine (I used a shirah/cab blend from Callaway Crossing)
  
• 2 t fresh cracked black pepper.
  
• 2 t sel gris aux herbes (substitute herbs Provence and sea salt)
  
• 2 T fresh garlic - chopped
  
• 8 sprigs fresh thyme
  
• 1 c flour
• 1 T black pepper

• 1 yellow onion halved then sliced
  
• 1 stalk celery with tops (approx 1c chopped)
  
• 1 carrot chopped
  
• 1 t +/- sel gris aux herbes to taste
  
• 1 t fresh cracked black pepper
  
• 2 bay leaf
  
• 1 -2 14oz cans chicken broth
  
• 
  
• 8 oz cremini or similar small dark mushroom - halved
  
• 1/2 c fresh chopped parsley
  

In large non-reactive bowl place one layer of chicken some of the sel gris, garlic and a couple of sprigs of thyme.  Repeat until all chicken is in the bowl.  Add the wine it should just cover the chicken.  Cover bowl with cling film and set in refrigerator to marinade at least 2 hours.

Pull chicken from marinade and pat dry on paper towels.  RESERVE MARINADE. 

Heat saucier over medium high heat.  Add extra virgin olive oil and heat til shimmering.   Dredge dried chicken pieces in the flour, knocking off the excess and sear all sides until nice deep brown.  You will need to do in batches so as not to crowd the pan in order to get a good sear instead of steaming.  As each batch is seared put on a platter until you are ready for them.

Add the onion, carrot and celery with a bit more oil if needed.  Cook 5- 10 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan as you go.  When onion is translucent add the reserved broth.  Cook and scrape the bottom of the pan until all the browned bits are removed.   Cook about 5 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half.  

Add reserved chicken.  Add enough chicken broth to just cover the chicken.  Cover and reduce heat to simmer at least 1 hour.  Or you may cover and put in 325 oven to simmer 1 hour.  Add mushrooms and simmer 15 minutes longer until cooked through.

Remove lid and stir in parsley, cook 1 minute.  Serve in bowl with mashed potato or boiled potato on the side.  

Braised Beef Short Ribs Provencal

Some days I just want something beefy. Something really hardy. Beef Short Ribs are a good way to go on the cheap. It is a tougher cut of meat that needs a long slow cooking, either stewing or braising to make it fork tender.

Beef Short Ribs are a good cut to work with. Bone-in when you can get them as that adds even more flavor to the final dish. The added boner to the deal, pun intended is that if you like the marrow you have a nice bit in each bone.

This recipe is a combination of a couple of Beef Burgundy recipes. French food isn't always about pissy saucing and fancy prep taking hours. A large majority I have found to be very simple for both categories. Provence is in the southern part of France where they can grow citrus and you find it in a lot of their cooking. Ditto things like tarragon and thyme.

The end result is a dish very close to what I had for lunch one day in Paris last year. The only thing I have not been able to duplicate or find a recipe for is the lentil stew that the Mono Prix Cafe served along side their braised beef short ribs. Someday maybe?

Braised Beef Short Ribs Provencal

• 4 - 4 1/2 lbs Beef Short Ribs
• 1 c all purpose flour
• 1/4 c Montreal Brand Steak Seasoning
• 1 large yellow onion
• 1 c carrot
• 1T chopped garlic
• zest of 1 orange
• 1 T tarragon
• 1 T Thyme
• 1 T parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 can beef broth (12 oz)
• 2 c +/- red wine
• Salt
• Pepper
• 6T butter
• olive oil

Mix flour and steak seasoning. Dredge beef short rib through flour and coat well. In fry pan over medium-high heat add a couple of tablespoons olive oil and 2T butter. (Oil keeps butter from burning). Add beef short ribs to hot pan. Sear each side well. Do in batchs so the ribs get a good seared crust.

Put seared short ribs on platter while cooking up the others. Reserve the unused flour mixture. When done with the searing deglaze pan with 1C wine. Scrape up all the bits from the bottom.
Set pan and all the bits aside.

While searing the beef in heavy large dutch oven heat over medium flame. Coarse chop onion. Cut carrots into 1/2" thick cubes. Add 2T oil and 2 T butter. Add carrots and onion. Add tarragon, thyme and parsley. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir often until soft and onion is beginning to caramelize., about 10-15 minutes. Add garlic, orange zest and cook 1 minute, being careful to not burn the garlic. Deglaze pan with the beef broth, scraping up the brown bits.

Add the reserved beef ribs to the dutch oven include any juices that collected on the bottom of the bowl. Add the wine from the deglazed skillet. Add another cup of so of wine to the dutch oven to just cover the beef short ribs. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning as needed.

Bring to a boil then cover with the lid. Reduce heat to simmer and 1 1/2-2 hours. (Or put in 300F oven for same time period).

At end of cooking period take 2T of the reserved flour seasoning mixture and 2T butter. Cut butter into the flour with a fork to make a beurre manie'. Add the beurre manie in little bits and stir in well to make a thick gravy.

Serve with small boiled herbed potato or mashed potato on the side.

Use just enough oil to coat the vegies and stir often so they cook evenly. Salt at this stage helps the vegies sweat out their liquid and caramelize faster.

It is really important to get a good sear and crust on the ribs as that color is flavor.

You get the idea...damn new camera phone is extra sensitive to jiggles but you get the idea.