Coq au Vin

6 slices bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup flour
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 chicken breast halves, skinless
3 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in
3 chicken drumsticks
3 tablespoons caramelized garlic olive oil
1/4 cup brandy
2 cups red wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb button mushrooms, white or portobello, brushed clean & quartered
10 oz. frozen baby or pearl onions, thawed
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp, 4-5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat from the pot.

Put the flour in a large zippered plastic bag and season with salt and pepper. Shake to mix well. Place the chicken pieces in the bag, 2-3 at a time, and shake until evenly coated.

Add 2 tbls olive oil to the pot with the reserved bacon fat and heat over medium-high heat. Shake the excess flour from the chicken. Add half of the chicken pieces to the pot and cook until evenly browned on all sides, 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with the remaining pieces.

Return the chicken to the pot off the heat. Pour the brand over the chicken. Return to the medium-low heat and cook to warm the brandy, about 30 seconds. Once again, remove the pan from the heat. Make sure the overhead fan is off and averting your face, use a long kitchen match to ignite the brandy. When the alcohol has burned off, the flames will die out. When the flames disappear, stir in the wine, tomato paste, and garlic, and cover. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and transfer to a 350° oven. Cook the chicken until tender and opaque throughout, about 40-45 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a frying pan over medium heat, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the mushrooms and saute until slightly softened, 3-5 minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally until lightly glazed and heated through, 2-3 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the mushroom-onion mixture and parsley to the chicken, and stir slightly to combine. Bake 5 more minutes to heat. Plate the chicken with a potato dish, preferably the Miriam’s Mashed Potatoes Waiting.

*Recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma FRENCH.