coq au vin

This time two years ago, we had just arrived in France for our six-month stint. It felt like we had all the time in the world to soak up French living.

Fast-forward two years, and I can tell you that's not the case. Our trip was over in the blink of an eye, and my heart still hurts when I think of our Loire Valley paradise. Thankfully, there are a handful of ways we can cope.

Like, food. It's basically the best way we've found of bringing France to South Carolina. B found this recipe in the My Paris Kitchen cookbook, and we adapted it slightly (leaving out the flour and the cocoa powder). It's not as good as living just off a medieval square, but it's as good as we're going to do for now.

Plus - you know the drill - the meal, with our tweaks, is nutritionist-approved. So get cooking, friends...and close your eyes and think of France.

xoxo,
E & B

P.S. A BIG happy birthday shoutout to my daddy today! He would totally love this meal. Dad, the next time you visit we'll put it on the menu, k?

coq au vin

A decadent French classic.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 bottle red wine

1 onion, peeled and diced

10 sprigs fresh thyme

1 carrot, peeled and diced

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 bay leaves

4 chicken thighs, bone-in

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups bacon, diced

24 pearl onions

3/4 cup water

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Directions:

1. In a large, wide bowl, mix the wine, onion, carrot, 1 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, cloves, bay leaves, and thyme. Add the chicken pieces and press down to submerge. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days, ideally turning the chicken pieces once or twice during that time.

2. When you’re ready to cook, fish the chicken out of the marinade and blot it dry with paper towels. Strain the marinade through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Reserve both the vegetables and herbs and the wine.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in a single layer until dark brown, about 5 minutes on each side. Transfer the browned chicken pieces to a plate as they are done.

4. In the same pot, fry the bacon (and mushrooms, if using) until the bacon renders most of its fat and begins to crisp. If there’s a lot of excess fat in the pot, you can use a paper towel held with tongs to mop up some of it. Add the drained vegetables and herbs from the marinade and cook until the vegetables are tender.

5. Add all of the chicken back to the pot along with the strained wine. The liquid should come almost to the top of the chicken pieces. If it doesn’t, add some water or more wine. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 1 hour.

6. While the chicken is cooking, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil in a saucepan. When the butter is melted, add the pearl onions, season with salt, and cook until browned, about 12 minutes. Pour the water and vinegar into the saucepan and season with more salt. Cover the pan and simmer over medium-low heat for about 40 minutes, until the onions are tender. Add them to the chicken along with any cooking liquid.

6. While the chicken is cooking, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil in a saucepan. When the butter is melted, add the pearl onions, season with salt, and cook until browned, about 12 minutes. Pour the water and vinegar into the saucepan and season with more salt. Cover the pan and simmer over medium-low heat for about 40 minutes, until the onions are tender. Add them to the chicken along with any cooking liquid.

7. Pretend you’re in the south of France, and enjoy.

Recipe adapted from My Paris Kitchen by David Lebovitz.