Coq au Vin Blanc
INGREDIENTS
• 8 skin-on quarter chickens (connected thighs and legs)
• 4-6 rashers of pancetta or bacon, roughly chopped
• 6-10 small shallots, peeled
• 250g Portobellini mushrooms, washed and roughly chopped
• 4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 6-8 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 25ml of Dijon mustard
• Coarse ground sea salt and black pepper
• 750ml bottle of white wine (richer cultivars like Chardonnay or Semillon work well)
• 250ml heavy cream
• Olive oil
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat approximately 4 tablespoons of olive oil in your Le Creuset Signature Round Casserole and brown the chicken on high. Remove the pieces and set aside.
Over medium heat, fry the chopped pancetta in the chicken fat and oil until soft. Add in the whole peeled shallots and fry until they are gently browned. Add in the chopped mushrooms and garlic and cook for a further 3 minutes. Strip the leaves from the thyme stalks and add to the pot. Spoon in the Dijon mustard and stir to combine before deglazing the pot with the white wine. Leave the mixture to simmer and slightly reduce before adding the cream. Stir the mixture and add the browned chicken pieces, layering them to fill the casserole.
Close the lid of the casserole and place into the preheated oven. Cook the Coq au Vin Blanc at 200°C for the first 30 minutes before reducing the heat to 160°C for the remaining 1.5 hours. If the dish loses liquid during the cooking process, add a little more wine.
Serve the Coq au Vin Blanc with creamy cauliflower mash and steamed greens.
Image and recipe by Brittania Organic