October 29, 2022
I had planned on making some Coq au Vin and a side salad for dinner, but then I saw the zucchini at the Farmer's Market. So, no salad, and added zucchini to the main dish.
A note about intuitive cooking:
I generally don't measure anything when I'm cooking. (Baking is another story...I'm much less confident in this area because I don't bake often...and it's much more of an exact science.) Also, I don't prep all my ingredients ahead, maybe because I'm often short on time at the end of a long work day, and I'm comfortable chopping and making decisions on ingredients as I go. I would encourage you not to be tied to measurements as well. At the minimum, know what a tsp or tbsp measure of ingredient looks like in the palm of your hand. (and keep in mind 3 tsp=1 tbsp, and 4 tbsp=1/4 cup.) When decising how much of something to use, consider your preferences and those of your family. Use more of an ingredient you know they love (I always use more garlic than recipes call for), and less of one they don't like as much (I use less vinegar for my husband, when making salad dressing. And for myself, less sweetener in desserts.) My "recipes" are often written with more of an intuitive style in mind...and I often won't list the ingredients ahead when explaining how I made something. This is because I believe it's good practice to read all the way through a "recipe", and not just look at the ingredient list before deciding you want to make it or something similar, and also before starting to cook. The process of how to make a dish is important as well, and it helps you to know what and when you can substitute other ingredients in or out. Consider what you have on hand in your fridge or pantry as well. Consider the variety of cooking times for different types of foods. Experiment and stray from what is written...in order to find the flavor mixtures and textures that are most pleasing to you and your family.
Coq au Vin
Preheat your oven to 350 F.
Brown some boneless, skinless chicken thighs in a little olive oil, in a heavy large oven proof skillet with a lid, or dutch oven...over med-high heat. (Salt them the day before.) Generally I eat one and some of the men/boys in my family eat two...so consider how many thighs you need ahead of time. Set the chicken aside after browning.
In the same pan, saute some diced onion or shallots (I used a little of both), and some diced carrot and celery, in just enough olive oil to moisten the veggies. About 3 tbsp of each veggie, on average per person, is about right. Also add a chopped piece of prosciutto for each person (if you don't have prosciutto on hand, cut up a half strip of bacon for each person. If you use bacon, spoon out a little of the fat before moving on.) When the vegetables are almost soft, add a tsp of brandy per person and stir for a minute. Add the same amount of flour as brandy...sprinkling it over the veggies, and stir. For each person, add 1/2 cup red wine, 1/2 diced garlic clove, and a sprig of thyme. Add the chicken pieces, and just enough filtered water so that the chicken is almost covered. Cook for 2 hours in the preheated oven, with lid on.
When there's about 30mn left of cooking time:
On low-medium heat, saute a handful of sliced wild or brown mushrooms (I used portabellos today...but I love shiitakes and other varieties as well, in this dish) in some butter and red wine. You can use chicken stock here instead of the wine, if you like. Use just enough liquid to cover the mushrooms about half way. The amount of butter you use is to your liking, but I use about 2 tsp per person. I sometimes add a little more garlic in here as well, along with some fresh chopped parsley. Play around with the flavors here. While the mushrooms are starting to soften, slice some other vegetables. Youcan use carrots, zucchini, or whatever else you like and would want to be represented as a main theme in your sauce.
After the mushrooms have simmered for about 10-15mn on low, and there is still about 15-20mn of cooking time remaining for the chicken, put a pot of water on to boil for the wide noodles (we use homemade wide pasta noodles, such as tagliatelle) When there is about 10mn remaining, add the other fresh sliced veggies to the mushrooms. You may need a little more red wine or chicken stock...just enough to keep a shallow liquid layer on the bottom of the pan, to aid the cooking of the veggies.
When the chicken is done,, remove the lid and add the mushroom mixture. Let it rest while you drain the pasta and put some in each bowl. Top the pasta with the sauce and veggies, and them 1-2 pieces of chicken. Sprinkle a little fresh chopped parsley on top. Ready to eat!
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