Coq Au Vin – A Classic Recipe from my Childhood:
Now I’m well past my forties, I’ve become a firm believer that fifty is the new twenty. Despite that, I increasingly find myself spotting things that were significantly different when I was growing up. There are certain foods which really seem to have changed in terms of taste. And, others which simply were not available. Coq Au Vin was a classic even then, but, somehow I’ve struggled to get the same depth of flavour when I’ve made it more recently
I don’t remember ever being able to buy pre-jointed chicken back then. My mother bought our meat from a family butcher with a black and white tiled floor, liberally covered with sawdust. We’d queue and talk first to the butcher who would recommend various cuts of meat and then package everything up in paper and string. Then, we’d walk over to the cash desk to pay. The cashier was a slightly scary character, an elderly lady who had lost one eye and had a glass one, like a marble, to fill the socket. Everything was rung up on an old-fashioned till, like a typewriter. And my mother would hand over cash in exchange for her packages of meat and poultry.
Chicken came ‘whole’. The giblets were an important part of the bird and were always supplied. My mum would boil them up for gravy if we were having a roast and our family cat would enjoy a feast of chicken liver, neck and heart. If she wanted to make a casserole, mum would joint the chicken with comic-book-large poultry shears, usually following the instructions in Mrs Beeton or something similar. There would be much cursing but the end result was 6 or 8 pieces of chicken that made a perfect family casserole. Small portions of wings and thighs, white meat on the bone to stop it drying out in the casserole and the prized drumsticks. And, the remaining part of the chicken carcass would be boiled up to make stock as a base for the casserole or for soup. Coq Au Vin was something for a special occasion – my parents enjoyed the idea that they were well travelled and something like this would have been a dinner party dish. Any leftovers went to the kids for supper the next evening though…
Given enough time and half a chance, I still prefer to joint a whole chicken rather than buying chicken pieces. So, when I was sent a fabulous free-range chicken by The Thoughtful Producer team, instead of roasting it, I decided that I’d use it to make Coq Au Vin. The breeding method used by The Thoughtful Producer makes for a chicken which genuinely does taste the way chicken did when I was growing up. The chickens are reared in the best possible free-range conditions, in the fields and orchards of the Berkshire countryside. And, they are reared for three times as long as standard supermarket chickens. Then, they are dry plucked and game hung for great flavour and texture. It’s pretty much what I would have expected of the chickens we bought from that old butcher’s shop in Hunstanton, in the days when chicken was something of a luxury – as special as a good roast of beef. And that suits me fine, I’d like to see myself as a ‘feastarian’ – I don’t want to give up meat, but I’d rather eat less overall, and stick to better quality, humanely reared meat – which does tend to be a little more expensive. And of course, you can always use the carcass to make stock and then use that for something like this delicious low-calorie leek and potato soup.
It’s a while since I’ve made Coq Au Vin. I suspect my mother’s version came from the Cordon Bleu recipe book series.
Mine was something of a hybrid – I used Nigel Slater’s recipe as an aide memoir and adapted it in the way I remember my mum making the dish, without any celery or brandy It was utterly delicious and the perfect autumnal supper – served here with dauphinoise potatoes to mop up all the sauce. I am now firmly convinced that a jointed whole free-range chicken is essential for that full depth of flavour you should get with a properly made chicken casserole.
A classic French recipe - adapted from Nigel Slater and my Mum!
- 1 Medium Chicken Jointed into 6 or 8
- 100 g Pancetta or bacon pieces
- 50 g Butter
- 2 Medium Brown Onions Chopped
- 1 Carrot trimmed and sliced
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 2 tablespoons Flour
- 1 bottle Red Wine
- 2-3 Bay Leaves
- 1 handful Fresh Thyme or Rosemary sprigs Tied with the Bay Leaves
- 10-15 Shallots or small onions
- 200 g Button Mushrooms
- 100 ml chicken stock Made from the giblets and/or chicken carcass
-
Melt a little of the butter and brown the pancetta pieces gently in a heavy bottomed shallowish casserole so that the fat starts to run. Remove from the pan and set to one side.
-
Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the pan in a single layer, turning once or twice till the joints are golden brown on all sides. Remove from the pan
-
Brown the onion gently for a few minutes, then add in the chopped garlic and carrot. Cook till the onion is translucent and starting to go golden at the edges and the garlic is softened
-
Put the chicken and pancetta back into the pan and sprinkle over the flour. Stir well and continue to cook gently so that the flour absorbs most of the fat.
-
Add the wine, herbs and chicken stock. Bring the pan to simmering point, cover and leave to cook
-
Melt the remaining butter in a small pan. Brown the shallots till golden, and remove from the pan. Add the button mushrooms and cook for a few minutes till they start to soften and brown. Add shallots and mushrooms to the chicken
-
Continue to cook the chicken for around 45 minutes to an hour till the meat is cooked through.
-
Remove the chicken, shallots and mushrooms from the pan and turn the heat up to reduce the sauce by about a third
-
Return the chicken to the pan and garnish with fresh parsley to serve
Enjoy!
Like this recipe? Why not pin it for later!
Disclosure: I was sent my chicken by The Thoughtful Producer for the purposes of review.
You brought back so many memories for me Fiona! We must have had a similar childhood, and Coq au Vin was definitely considered very daring and only for dinner parties, let’s face it, wine wasn’t exactly the common place item is has now become. Your chicken looks delightful as does the coq au vin. Cheers!
What is it though about a whole chicken jointed that makes it soooo different to a pack of chicken portions? I wonder if the bird degrades the same way as chopped vegetables kept in the fridge?
Its lovely to recreate recipes that bring fond childhood memories.
What a lovely post about recreating childhood memories. I fell in love with coq au vin while living in France. I never had a chance to make it at home, so really appreciate your simple to follow recipe. From your pictures, it looks like it turned out beautifully. Thanks for sharing!
If I can cook it, anyone can!
Wow, that whole chicken looks fancy, I like it! Where I live, local markets offer whole chicken, which you can can ask the seller to be cut into your preferred sizes.
Your recipe looks amazing and mouth watering, I would love to try it one of these says. 🙂
Thats a fab service – it’s not too difficult a recipe to make
That looks amazing! I’ve never tried making this dish at home before but it doesn’t seem overly complicated. I want to try making it soon.
you are right it really isn’t complicated!
That is a classic dish. I remember making it in a cooking class in London in the mid 1990s – funny how certain dishes bring back memories. I totally agree about being able to tell the difference between a well raised chicken and the average supermarket bird.
Yup, definitely quite a classic – I do love it though!
Thta reminds me I have not requested a coq au vin for my birthday in some years 🙂 I prefer a whole chicken too, that one is a beauty.
A really good chicken makes all the difference. Most supermarket chickens really have very little flavour but a good chicken is a wonderful thing. I remember going through the same buying experience and the scary woman taking the money ; ) GG
Good old mrs Beaton. A lovely looking recipe.
We must be of a similar age as I too remember the butchers, just as you described! I also remember being fascinated by the meat slicing machine – I can’t see one of those getting past Health and Safety these days! lol
This looks delicious. Have never tried with a whole chicken before 🙂
you definitely get more flavour, it’s like a built-in stock cube!
Love a french classic, yummy! 🙂
This looks delicious. My friends mum used to make it when i was little and it was delicious, never actually made it myself so think I’ll give it a go. Great recipe for winter
This looks yummy i am going to give it a try
love this but never tried making it myself will deff give it a go
Love a hearty meal, easy to make thanks for the good receipe
Sounds and looks delicious and so easy – just what I need to fit in with busy family life 🙂
I love Coq-au-vin just wish everyone at home would appreciate the flavours of it , they would rather me just do a normal roast then adventure out lol
It does freeze well! You could always freeze single portions
Enjoyed that. I was back in that 1970s butcher shop with you – complete with scary cashier! The recipe sounds delicious. Might try over the holidays.
we were terrified of her – no matter what my mother used to say about ‘not staring’ I am sure we did!
It certainly is a classic! I have only ever cooked this from a packet, but your recipe makes me think it wouldn’t be too complicated to do myself!
What a lovely post, Looks delicious and interesting flavours.