Coq au vin (or chicken recipe in wine as we would say here) is a classic dish of French cuisine of Occitan origin, really delicious.

Traditionally, it is made with chicken, although it can also be made with duck or goose (South of France) or with veal or beef (Central France). You can prepare it in a Le Creuset oval cocotte or in a Le Creuset round cocotte , the good transmission that the iron makes of the heat helps in its perfect cooking. Don't miss out on this delicious recipe!

Oval Cocotte Evolution Le Creuset

Ingredients (for 6-8 people)

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups of chopped pancetta
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 2 chickens of 2 Kg each cut into 8 pieces
• 5 tbsp brandy
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme, rosemary and parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 bottle of dry red wine (traditionally a burgundy)
• 2 tablespoons fresh coriander or parsley, to decorate

• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 350g French onions
• 350 g of cleaned mushrooms

For the "Buerre manie"

• 2 tbsp butter, softened
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in the cocotte over medium heat and add the pancetta and onion. Once they are soft remove them.
2. Fry the chicken until nicely browned, then add the pancetta and onion back. Remove the cocotte from the heat and flame the brandy (carefully light it off the heat and with the hood off and stand back until the flames go out). Put the cocotte back on the fire.
3. Tie all the herbs together with a fine rope and add them to the cocotte together with the garlic, tomato sauce, lemon juice, sugar and wine. Cover the cocotte and put it in the oven preheated to 135º for 2 hours or 2 hours and a half, until the chicken is very tender.
4. About 30 minutes before the chicken is done cooking, melt the butter with the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and fry for 10 to 15 minutes until golden and soft and remove them. Add the mushrooms and cook until they turn colour.
5. Mix the butter and flour in a small bowl. Remove the chicken pieces from the cocotte to be able to mix the beurre manie comfortably. You add it in small amounts while stirring so that the sauce is fine.
6. When you have incorporated all the beurre maine or cornstarch, add the chicken again along with the onions and mushrooms. Let it simmer for 2 or 3 minutes.
7. Add parsley and you can now serve it in the same cocotte .