I have not tried this recipe yet, but thought it was worth sharing. The wine is supposed to break down the tuff meat. People said it was wonderful!
Julia Child's Coq au Vin Recipe (Translation "Old Rooster")
Recipe Type: Poultry
Yields: 4 to 6 servings
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Ingredients:
2 1/2 to 3 pounds cut-up frying chicken, skin on and thoroughly dried
(I used skinless boneless breasts and thighs instead)*
4 ounces lean thick-cut bacon
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup cognac
2 cups red wine (Pinot Noir, Burgundy, Beaujolais or Chianti)**
2 cups homemade chicken stock or low-sodium chicken stock or broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, mashed or minced
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon thyme
Brown-Braised Onions (see recipe below)
Mushrooms (see recipe below)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter, softened
Parsley sprigs
* The U.S. Department of Agriculture, as well as food agencies in the United
Kingdom and elsewhere, advises against washing poultry. Rinsing chicken will
not remove or kill much bacteria, and the splashing of water around the sink
can spread the bacteria found in raw chicken. Cooking poultry to 165 degrees
Fahrenheit effectively destroys the most common culprits behind food-borne
illness.
** Avoid bold, heavily-oaked red wine varietals like Cabernet.
Preparation:
Dry chicken thoroughly in a towel. Season chicken with salt and pepper; set
aside.
Remove any rind off the bacon and cut the bacon into lardons (rectangles
1/4-inch across and 1-inch long). In a saucepan, simmer the bacon sticks in
2 quarts of water for 10 minutes; remove from heat, drain, rinse in cold water, and pat dry.
In a large heavy frying pan, casserole dish, or electric skillet over medium
heat, heat olive oil until moderately hot. Add the bacon and saute slowly until
they are lightly browned. Remove bacon to a side dish. Place chicken pieces
into the hot oil (not crowding pan), and brown on all sides. Return bacon to
the pan, cover pan, and cook slowly for 10 minutes, turning chicken once.
After browning the chicken, uncover pan, pour in the cognac. Flambé by igniting with a lighted match.
Let flame a minute, swirling pan by its handle to burn off alcohol; extinguish with pan cover.
Pour the red wine into the pan and add just enough chicken broth to completely
cover the chicken pieces. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme.
Bring the liquid to a simmer, then cover pan, and simmer slowly for about 30
minutes or until the chicken meat is tender when pierced with a fork or an
instant-read meat thermometer registers an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
