Something for the weekend

Coq Au Vin

With buttered new potatoes

Ingredients

18 chicken thighs, skinless, bone in

250g smoked bacon, chopped

18 small onions or shallots

4 cloves garlic

1 stick celery, finely chopped

2 carrots, diced

3 sprigs Thyme, 3 sprigs parsley and 2 Bay leaves, tied together with string

4tbsp seasoned flour

100g butter

2tbsp olive oil

1tsp tomato puree

1 bottle red wine

Salt and freshly ground pepper

250g Button mushrooms, whole

2kg new potatoes

50g butter

Method

Toss the chicken thighs in the seasoned flour. Melt the butter in a heavy casserole or lidded saute pan. Brown the chicken thighs on all sides, until golden brown, this is best done in two batches rather than overcrowd the pan.

Remove the chicken and set it aside.

Heat the olive oil in the same pan and add the chopped bacon, celery, carrot, onions and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes then add the tomato puree.

Return the chicken to the pan, place the herbs in the middle and pour over the bottle of wine. bring up to a simmer and place in the oven.

Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender.

After 30 minutes add the mushrooms to the pot and stir to combine. Cook for a further 20-30 minutes.

Before serving remove the chicken from the pot and keep warm.

Remove and discard the herb bundle.

To thicken the sauce, mix some of the seasoned flour with butter. Add to the sauce a little at a time until it thickens slightly. Return the chicken to the pot.

Serve with buttered new potatoes and crusty bread.