Coq Au Vin, a Delicious & Classic French Dish!

With lockdown level 4 in place, many of us have to resort to date night at home sans alcohol. Why not spice things up and challenge yourself and your significant other and cook a non-alcoholic version of the classic French dish, Coq Au Vin (Serves 2).

You will need:

Supa Mama ® embossed foil
1-2 tbsp olive oil
4 chicken thighs
100g pancetta, diced
30g butter at room temperature
15g flour
150g button mushrooms quartered
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
1 dried bay leaf
1 clove of garlic, peel and finely chopped
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
10g parsley, finely chopped
300g potatoes to make mashed potatoes

To Make:

1. Preheat the oven to 200℃ (or 180℃ for fan-assisted ovens).
2. Add olive oil to a large pan over medium heat.
3. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper then place in the pan, skin-side down, and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side until brown. Transfer to a plate and discard the fat.
4. Return the pan to a low heat and add the pancetta. Cook gently for about 8 minutes until slightly crispy.
5. Meanwhile, combine the butter and flour and whisk into a creamy mixture.
6. Add the mushrooms, shallot and bay leaf to the pancetta.
7. Once the pancetta is crisp, add the garlic and vinegar, as well as 200ml water.
8. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter-flour mixture gradually.
9. Return to the heat, bring to the boil and then pour into and oven-proof dish.
10. Add the chicken thighs (skin-side up) and any resting juices to the dish.
11. Put in the oven for 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
12. Proceed to make your mashed potatoes as usual (don’t forget a knob of butter and a splash of milk for creamy mashed potatoes!)
13. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and cover with my aluminium foil – this will keep the chicken warm and juicy whilst you finish up, without letting the chicken dry out.
14. Serve the Coq Au Vin with the creamy mashed potatoes (and a veggie side of your choice) and garnish with chopped parsley.