California Coq au Vin
California Coq au Vin
Savory Braised Chicken in White Wine, Wild Mushrooms and Pancetta
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1 whole organic chicken, cut into 8 pieces
- 5 oz. chunk of pancetta (slice into 1 inch strips)
- 1 TBSP. butter
- 1/4 cup sliced leeks (1/2 inch slices)
- 8 whole Cipollini onions, trimmed and peeled
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
- 1/2 cup celery, rough chopped
- 1 cup carrot, chopped
- 1 cup Crimini mushrooms, sliced – 1/2 inch – not too thin
- 1 cup Morel mushrooms, sliced (you may use any wild mushroom available)
- 1 cup homemade, organic chicken broth
- 1 cup dry white wine (California Sauv Blanc)
- 5 thyme sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 cup chopped italian parsley
- 1/2 tsp cracked black peppercorns
- Steamed, roasted or mashed potatoes (of your choice)
Combine flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 tsp of freshly ground pepper in a bowl. Clean chicken and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Make sure the chicken pieces are very dry so they brown more easily. Coat each piece of chicken on all sides with the flour. Set aside. In a large Dutch oven, melt 1 TBSP butter. Place pancetta strips in butter and cook on med. high until they are crisp – but be careful not to burn. Transfer pancetta to a plate with a paper towel.
Keeping heat at medium high, brown all sides of each piece of chicken. Be sure not to crowd the chicken and get each side nice and honey colored but not too brown. Once all chicken is brown, remove from the Dutch oven and set aside. Place onions, leeks, celery, and carrot in pan and lightly saute until the onions are just translucent. Add the garlic to the pan. Place chicken and crumble pancetta in the pan. Add chicken broth, white wine, 1/2 tsp salt, Bay leaf, thyme sprigs, parsley and cracked peppercorns*. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, in a separate small pan saute the mushrooms until just brown in TBSP of butter. Be sure not to crowd the mushrooms so they lightly brown instead of steam. Once they are lightly brown, add them to the chicken. Continue to simmer until chicken is very tender. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs before serving. Serve with your potatoes and a tossed baby green salad.
*For best flavor, use cracked not whole peppercorns – place in a dry fry pan and lightly heat for 30 seconds… this enhances the flavor of peppercorns
Coq Au Vin is wonderful comfort food! I have never used white wine in its preparation. I will have to try this version.
Delicious! I will have to try your version.