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Julia Child Coq au Vin
French

Julia Child Coq au Vin

Julia Child's classic chicken braised in red wine with bacon, mushrooms and glazed pearl onions, flamed with cognac, from Mastering the Art of French Cooking. A deeply savoury French bistro centrepiece thickened with a beurre manie.

105 min
Total time
5
Servings
30 min
Prep
75 min
Cook
advanceddinnerhigh-protein
Source: Julia Child (Mastering the Art of French Cooking)

Ingredients

5 servings
  • 100 g lean bacon, cut into lardons
  • 30 ml cooking oil
  • 1.25 kg frying chicken, cut up
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper
  • 60 ml cognac
  • 710 ml young full-bodied red wine, Burgundy or Chianti
  • 240 to 470 ml brown chicken or beef stock, to cover
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 cloves garlic, mashed
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 12 to 24 small white onions, peeled
  • 225 g fresh mushrooms, quartered
  • 28 g plus 2 tbsp butter, for mushrooms and beurre manie
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour, for beurre manie

Make it your way

Instructions

Plan my prep
  1. Step 1.Simmer the bacon lardons in 2 litres (2 qt) water for 10 minutes, then drain, rinse in cold water and pat dry.
  2. Step 2.Saute the bacon in the oil in a heavy casserole over moderate heat (about 130C/260F) until lightly browned; remove and set aside.
  3. Step 3.Pat the chicken dry and brown it on all sides in the hot fat (about 180C/360F).
  4. Step 4.Season with the salt and pepper, return the bacon, cover, and cook gently 10 minutes, turning the chicken once.
  5. Step 5.Uncover, pour the cognac over the chicken and, standing back, ignite it and shake the pan until the flames die.
  6. Step 6.Add the wine and just enough stock to cover, then stir in the tomato paste, garlic, thyme and bay leaf.
  7. Step 7.Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook slowly about 30 minutes until the chicken is tender and its juices run clear.
  8. Step 8.Meanwhile, brown the peeled onions, add water halfway up and a little salt, cover and simmer 25 to 30 minutes until tender; separately saute the mushrooms in butter and oil over high heat 4 to 5 minutes.
  9. Step 9.Lift out the chicken, strain the cooking liquid into a saucepan, skim the fat and boil it down to about 530 ml (2 1/4 cups).
  10. Step 10.Blend the 2 tbsp softened butter with the flour into a smooth beurre manie and whisk it into the simmering liquid; simmer 1 to 2 minutes until lightly thickened.
  11. Step 11.Fold the onions and mushrooms into the sauce, then return the chicken and baste it well.
  12. Step 12.Cover and simmer slowly 4 to 5 minutes to reheat through, then serve garnished with parsley.

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