Coq au riesling
BY LAURAINE JACOBS | CUISINE ISSUE #134 | MONDAY, 27 JUNE, 2011
For coq au vin, follow the same recipe, simply replacing the beef with chicken pieces and cooking it for about 1@1/2 hours. This variation, a deliciously fragrant coq au Riesling, omits several of the stronger ingredients and substitutes white wine for red and chicken stock for beef stock, all finished with a little cream. Try to seek out fresh French tarragon as it gives the chicken a uniquely lovely flavour (the cooking aromas are also divine).
1 size 18 or 20 free-range organic chicken
3-4 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
30g butter
3-4 medium shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed to a paste with salt
375ml Riesling
375ml good chicken stock
small bunch fresh French tarragon, coarsely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
150g white button mushrooms, sliced
4 tablespoons cream
finely chopped parsley to garnish
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Cut the chicken into 8 or 9 pieces and lightly dust with flour. Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy-based casserole dish. Add the chicken and fry until the skin is crisp and golden then remove and set aside. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan, fry for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, then return the chicken to the dish.
Add the wine, stock, tarragon, salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat, cover the dish with the lid and place in the oven for about 1@1/2 hours. While the chicken is cooking, brown the mushrooms in a little more butter in the frying pan and add with the cream for the final 10 minutes of cooking time.
Take the casserole from the oven, transfer all the chicken and mushrooms to a large hot serving platter. Boil the liquid rapidly so the sauce becomes concentrated and thickens a little. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and garnish with parsley.