Coq au Vin with Cotes du Rhone

INGREDIENTS

3 pounds chicken legs and thighs
2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, more as needed
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste
3 cups hearty red wine
2 bay leafs
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 ounces bacon, diced into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
1 large onion, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
8 ounces white or brown mushrooms, halved if large, and sliced (about 4 cups)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons brandy
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
chopped parsley, for garnish

PREPARATION

Season chicken with 2 1/4 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a large bowl, combine chicken, wine, bay leaf and thyme. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or more.
In a large Dutch oven or a heavy-bottomed pot with a tightfitting lid, cook bacon over medium-low heat until fat has rendered, and bacon is golden and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving rendered fat in pot.
Remove chicken from wine, reserving the marinade. Pat chicken pieces with paper towels until very dry. Heat bacon fat over medium heat until it’s just about to smoke. Working in batches if necessary, add chicken in a single layer and cook until well browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side. (Add oil if the pot looks a little dry.) Transfer chicken to a plate as it browns.
Add diced onion, carrot, half the mushrooms and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to pot. Cook until vegetables are lightly browned, about 8-10 minutes, stirring up any brown bits from the pot, and adjusting heat if necessary to prevent burning.
Stir in garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, then stir in flour and cook for another minute. Remove from heat, push vegetables to one side of pot, pour brandy into empty side and cook brandy down for 1 minute.
Add reserved marinade, bring to a boil, and reduce halfway (to 1 1/2 cups), about 15 minutes. Skim off any large pockets of foam that form on the surface. Add chicken, any accumulated juices and half the cooked bacon to the pot. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour, turning halfway through. Uncover pot and simmer for 15 minutes to thicken. Taste and add salt and pepper, if necessary.
Add remaining half of cut mushrooms to the chicken mixture and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
Serve chicken topped with wine sauce and vegetables, garnish with chopped parsley along side mashed potatoes.

Paired with Intuition Cotes Du Rhone
Adapted from Zen of slow cooking

Coq au Vin with Cotes du Rhone

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