Coq Au Vin for #OurFamilyTable

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Christie from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures said: "Julia Child's birthday is August 15. Let's celebrate this cooking ICON in style! She has inspired all of us at some point or another so show her some appreciation for this event."

This is such a cozy and delicious meal! It takes a little time to simmer this dish, but a lot of the cooking time is hands off - and results in a wonderful, hearty meal. The broth is so delicious and flavorful. Carrots cook up beautifully in this dish and we loved that addition.

French cooking and baking has always seemed a tad intimidating to me - but honestly the more French recipes I tackle the more comfortable I get; which I suppose is exactly the Joy of Cooking. The more you do it, the more you can experiment and expand your knowledge base and love being in the kitchen; love experimenting and growing and eating the fruits of your labor!

Happy birthday Julia Child - thank you for inspiring so many to get in the kitchen and tackle something new and unexpected; and utterly delicious!

Julia Child Inspired Recipes

• Beurres Composés - Cold Flavored Butters by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Cheese Puffs by That Recipe
• Coq Au Vin by Making Miracles
• Easiest Pommes Dauphinoise (Scalloped Potatoes) by Art of Natural Living
• Eggplant Pizzas by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Organic Ratatouille Lasagna by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Slow Cooker French Onion Soup by Palatable Pastime

Coq Au Vin 

Ingredients
1/2 cup thickly sliced bacon, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
2 TBS olive oil, more if needed
3 1/2 to 4 1/2 lbs chicken pieces (bone-in, skin-on; I used thighs)
1/4 cup Cognac or Armagnac
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 large onion, diced
3 TBS all-purpose flour
2 cups red wine (preferably Burgundy, Côtes du Rhône, or pinot noir)
2 cups homemade chicken stock, or beef stock
1 TBS minced garlic (jarred)
1 TBS tomato paste
3/4 pound fresh mushrooms, trimmed, rinsed, and quartered
Optional: 4-5 peeled carrots, diced into 1-inch chunks

Directions

1. Cook the bacon in a soup pot, remove bacon with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, leaving the grease in the pot.
2. Add additional oil if needed to brown the chicken on both sides in the pot, working in batches so as not to overcrowd. Set the browned chicken aside on a plate, until all chicken is browned.
3. Return all chicken to the pot, and add the Cognac or Armagnac (if using) until bubbling hot. Season the chicken with salt and pepper (start with about 1 to 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 to 1 tsp black pepper, you can adjust seasonings at the end).
4. Nestle the onion around the chicken, add in the bay leaf, and sprinkle the thyme over all. (If adding carrots, add them to the pot now.) Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, turning chicken once during cooking.
5. Uncover and sprinkle the flour over everything, turning the chicken again to ensure it is evenly coated and the flour gets absorbed into the sauce. Simmer another 3-4 minutes.
6. Remove the pot from heat and add the wine, and enough broth to cover the chicken, gently swirl / stir mixture to evenly combine.
7. Add in the bacon, garlic, and tomato paste and simmer on low 25-30 minutes. Continue cooking as needed until chicken is fully cooked through, and chicken and onions are tender. The sauce should be just thick enough to lightly coat the chicken; thin with a little broth, or simmer it with the lid off if needed to thicken slightly.
8. Add the mushrooms and simmer about 5 minutes until they are tender. Taste, and season the sauce as needed.
9. Discard the bay leaf and serve immediately over mashed potatoes (if desired), with sauce drizzled over top.

Inspired by Julia Child from Leite's Culinaria