Coq au Vin (as promised)

Posted on September 7, 2007 
Filed Under Food Glorious Food!

Most of my old French cook books suggest an old bird for this and I suspect this is because if you keep chickens for laying and they’re getting a bit passed it - it’s COQ AU VIN TONIGHT CHERIE!

Better that than open your coop in the morning and finding your bird dead of old age - even the French might feel a bit odd cooking that!

The only additions I’d make to this fine video are to:

1) Use a reasonable red wine - for me it’s a Cotes du Rhone
2) I use shallots rather than pearl onions
3) I buy some organic Pork Belly (wood-smoked is good) and make my own super-size lardons

Plus kill your own chicken! Once you’ve wrung its neck hang it up by its feet from, say, a washing line or get a fellow employee to firmly grab a leg in each hand - now cut its throat and catch the blood in a clean container.

This, when added very slowly, will thicken the dish (so no need for flour now) and take it to another level of taste!

Be sure to add it slowly mind as a bit too much and your sauce will solidify (yep, it’s called coagulation!) are you man or woman enough for that? If so talk to your friendly local butcher and ask how you can get some chicken or pork blood if you aren’t a chicken killer or able to get your murderous hands on a live fowl.

The acid test is to make your Coq au Vin but not to tell your guests or clients about the blood thing. Bask in the compliments as to how this was the finest meal they’ve ever had. Whether or not you spill the beans (blood!) at the end is up to you - I’d advise against it!

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