Coq Au Vin-Recipe #1

I had the day off yesterday and thought it would be a great time to get started on my recipes that are in my recipe book that i have been collecting over the years. Renee was coming over today and I wanted to cook for her. Coq Au Vin was was the perfect thing to cook for us that evening. I had most of the items i needed to prep for dinner, however i did need to go out to the store. My store of choice is Natures Best, its a great produce place in Westmont right off of Ogden Avenue. I got what i needed and headed home to do some prep. Once Renee came by after work, I had everything ready to go. This recipe takes a little over a hour and that includes prepping time and cooking time. Coq Au Vin is a classic french dish composed of pieces of chicken(I had drumsticks in the freezer so i used them), mushrooms, onions, bacon and various herbs cooked in red wine. A simple, fresh, elegant dish that warms the soul on a cold winters day.

The recipe is as follows........

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
3 thick cut slices of apple-wood smoke bacon rough chopped
4# of chicken(any cut is fine)
1 cup of flour seasoned with salt, pepper and paprika
8 ounces of cremini mushrooms
3 large carrots cut in 1/2 and sliced on a bias
3 garlic cloves sliced
1 large sweet onion medium dice
1 bottle of red wine(what ever you cook with serve the same wine for dinner)
1 cup chicken stock
1 bay leaf
5 sprigs of thyme

Method:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot, or cast iron pot of pan. Add the bacon and render bacon until crisp. Remove bacon to a plate with paper towels. Keep bacon fat in pan.
2. Place your chicken in a zip-lock bag with the flour and seasoning and coat well, remove from the bag.
3. Brown the chicken in the oil and bacon fat, once browned, remove from pab and place on the same plate as the bacon.
4. Saute mushrooms, carrots, garlic, and onions in the pot until they begin to brown.
5. Pour in half of the bottle of red wine and cook over high heat for six minutes.
6. Add chicken stock and the remaining half bottle of red wine, add the chicken, bacon and herbs.
7. Return to a boil, then cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
8. Serve over a bed of rice or mashed potatoes.
9. Enjoy!!!