Coq au vin

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts
• freshly milled sea salt/black pepper
• 4 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 50g / 2oz button mushrooms
• 12 shallots
• 50g / 2oz lardons (diced bacon pieces), blanched in boiling sated water
• 750ml / 1.1/4 pints red wine
• Bay Leaf
• 1 x chicken stock cube
• 50g / 2oz butter
• 50g /2oz flour
• 4 x 5cm / 2” round croutons plus a little olive oil & butter, to fry

Preparation Time:

30 min

Cooking Time:

40 min

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 350F / GM4

2. Cut the chicken breasts in half.

3. Season the chicken with salt and pepper then saute the chicken pieces in the oil until golden brown, remove and place into the Pyrex casserole dish.

4. Saute the mushrooms, shallots and lardons in the same pan until golden brown. Remove and place into the Pyrex casserole dish with the chicken. Set pan aside.

5. Boil the red wine with one bay leaf, and crumble in the chicken stock cube.

6. Place the butter into the sauté pan and melt until bubbling, add the flour to form the basis of a roux. Pour on a third of the red wine onto the roux and whisk continuously, until the sauce reaches boiling point and the sauce has begun to thicken. Whisk continuously pour on the remainder of the red wine and bring to the boil. Check seasoning and adjust if necessary.

7. Take out the bay leaf and pass the sauce through a fine sieve onto the chicken. Cover with a lid and place into the oven for 40 minutes or until the chicken is tender.

8. To make the croutons, fry the bread pieces in a mixture of olive oil and butter until golden brown.

9. Remove from the oven and serve with boiled new potatoes, parsley and the croutons.