Approachable French cuisine

By Chef Kady Guyton
December 28, 2009

French cuisine has a reputation of being fussy and something only skilled chefs should attempt - and never ever try it at home. For some dishes, this is true, but most French food is just good, basic cooking.

For instance, coq au vin (pronounced "coco vin") is chicken stew with red wine. No more, no less. Originally from the Burgundy region, coq au vin traditionally uses red wine and old chickens. The classic recipe calls for a rooster or stewing hen cooked for several hours in burgundy wine. The acid from the wine, combined with the slow cooking process, makes a tender dish from an otherwise tough bird.

Unless you're friendly with a chicken breeder, finding a rooster or old hen is pretty tricky. A regular chicken from the grocery store will be just fine.

Burgundy wine tends to be pricy and I would only cook with it if I was in the middle of the Burgundy region. Pinot Noir or Chianti is a good substitute that can be found locally. Avoid heavily oaked reds, this sort of cooking is not kind to them or the food.

Whatever you do, do not use cooking wine in this recipe. Cooking wine tends to be salted and not of very good quality. The old adage about never cooking with a wine that you wouldn't drink is very true, especially here.

Don't worry about alcohol content if this meal will be served to children. After six or eight hours of stewing, only the grape remains.

Some coq au vin recipes will insist that the dish can only be cooked in a Dutch oven. Personally, I don't feel that a lack of Dutch oven should bar a person from a good meal. The recipe below is intended for a slow cooker, which very nicely provides the slow, moist heat needed.

When selecting cuts of chicken for the slow cooking process, choose those that are higher in fat and still have bones. Chicken thighs and drumsticks are great here. The bones help impart an extra level of flavor and dark meat tends to hold up through this type of cooking much better than white meat.

This recipe also calls for six slices of bacon, this is a non-negotiable ingredient. The classic recipe from Julia Child calls for blanching the raw bacon before adding it to the pot in order to reduce the saltiness. I skipped this step and simply didn't add any extra salt aside from what's on the chicken. The bacon lends a lovely smokey flavor to the finished dish that goes well with the rest of the ingredients.

Coq au vin is traditionally served over egg noodles, but mashed potatoes or rice also go well. Serve hot and with a glass of the leftover wine. Wear a beret and practice your French accent.

Crock Pot Coq Au Vin
Courtesy of Make It Fast, Cook It Slow by Stephanie O'Dea

6 to 8 chicken thighs
6 slices cooked and crumbled bacon
8 oz sliced baby portabella mushrooms
1 cup baby carrots
1 chopped yellow onion
3 cloves chopped or minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 cup Burgundy, Pinot Noir or other good red wine
2 large fresh thyme sprigs

Directions
Cook the bacon. While that's cooking, salt and pepper the chicken, then add into the crock pot and start layering in the rest of the ingredients. Add the finished bacon.

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. The longer this cooks, the better. Serve over mashed potatoes, rice or pasta.