Quick Coq Au Vin

Well, when I say QUICK, I mean quicker than a proper French Coq au Vin cooked low and slow.

Hubby and I celebrated our wedding anniversary at our favourite French restaurant as part of the year of dates gift I gave him for Christmas.  I had Coq au Vin and decided to reproduce it at home this week.
This is what I ate at the restaurant:

And this is what we came up with at home

Now I admit that my presentation skills leave a little to be desired but it tasted good.

Amounts needed will be in the text only instructions at the bottom of this post.

You will need:
Chicken portions  (A traditional Coq au Vin would use a jointed chicken but I found the breast in the one I ate at the restaurant a bit dry, so I suggest using drumsticks and thighs)
1 oz butter + a knob of butter for the end

Red wine
Balsamic vinegar
chicken stock
crushed garlic
baby button mushrooms
shallots

flat leaf parsley
fresh or dried thyme
bacon lardons (or thick sliced streaky bacon which you will dice)

Marinade the chicken portions in the red wine.  I only did mine for about 2 hours, I would suggest doing it for longer if you can.

Melt the butter in a heavy based pan.

Fry the shallots until browned.

Add the garlic, bacon and thyme.

followed by the mushrooms.

Add the red wine and chicken portions, balsamic vinegar and the stock to the pan, bring to a boil then simmer for 25 - 30 minutes with the lid off.

Remove the chicken from the pan after that time and keep warm.

Meanwhile turn the heat right up and reduce the liquid in the pan.  I gave mine a good 5 minutes or more.

Return the chicken portions to the pan and add the knob of butter and the parsley.

Serve with Buttery mashed potato or crusty French bread.

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Coq au vin

Ingredients

• 25g Butter (plus a knob for near the end)
• 200g shallots, peeled, but left whole
• 5 garlic cloves, crushed (I use 3 decent tsp from a jar of crushed garlic)
• 150g bacon lardons or thick cut streaky bacon, diced
• sprig of fresh thyme or a good pinch of dried
• 150g baby button mushrooms
• 500ml (2/3 standard bottle) red wine
• 250 ml chicken stock
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 8 - 10 chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks, if using larger pieces such as whole legs, you will need less portions)
• small bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
• salt and fresh ground black pepper

Preparation method

1. Heat a thick bottomed pan on the stove.  Melt the 25g butter and add the shallots.  Cook until browned, then stir in the garlic.  Add the bacon and thyme and cook for 2 - 3 minutes.
2. Add the mushrooms, turn up the heat and add the red wine, chicken stock and vinegar.  Add the chicken portions to the pan.  
3. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 25 - 30 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
4. Remove the chicken once it is cooked, and keep warm.  Transfer the pan to a high heat and cook the sauce for at least 5 minutes, until the volume of sauce decreases.  Return the chicken to the pan.
5. Add the reserved knob of butter and the parsley to the pan.  Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
6. Serve with buttery mashed potatoes, or crusty French bread.