Coq Au Vin

recipe adapted from Bon Appetit Y'all

Ingredients

• 1 (5 to 6 lb.) chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 onion, preferably Vidalia, coarsely chopped
• 1 carrot, coarsely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed, plus 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 (750-ml) bottle red wine, preferably Pinot Noir
• 6 slices thick cut bacon, cut into lardons
• 2 tbs. canola oil
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 1/4 c. brown rice flour
• 2 c. reduced sodium chicken broth, plus more if desired
• Bouquet garni (3 sprigs of thyme, 3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, and 1 bay leaf, preferably fresh, tied together in cheesecloth)
• 1 tbs. EVOO
• 1 sprig of thyme for seasoning
• 1 sprig of flat-leaf parsley, for seasoning
• 1 bay leaf, preferably fresh, for seasoning
• 10 white button mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed, halved or quartered if large
• 16 to 24 pearl onions (4 for each person you plan to serve) trimmed and peeled

Directions

1. Place the chicken pieces in a large nonreactive bowl.  Add the onion, carrot, celery, crushed garlic, peppercorns, and wine.  Cover and let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least several hours or overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet and a plate with paper towels.
3. Transfer the chicken pieces from the marinade to the baking sheet.  Pat them dry with additional paper towels.  Strain and reserve the marinade liquid reserving the vegetables separately. 
4. To prepare the chicken, heat a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the bacon and cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes.  Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to the prepared plate.  Pour off and discard all but 1 tbs. of the bacon fat.  Decrease the heat to medium, and add 1 tbs. of the canola oil and heat until shimmering.  
5. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Add the chicken pieces to the pan, skin side down, and cook over medium heat until a rich golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side.  Remove the browned chicken to the baking sheet; set aside.
6. Add the drained vegetables from the marinade to the pan, and cook until they start to color, 5 to 7 minutes.  Add the chopped garlic and shallots and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds.  Sprinkle on the flour and toss again to lightly coat.  Cook, stirring constantly, until the flour turns brown, 2 to 3 minutes.  Return the chicken to the Dutch oven.  Add the reserved marinade liquid and enough stock so that the chicken is barely covered.  Add the bouquet garni and bring to a boil over medium-high heat on top of the stove.  Cover and transfer to the oven.  
7. Bake until the chicken pieces are tender and fall apart easily when pierced with a knife, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Or to cook on top of the stove, bring to a boil, decrease the heat to very low and simmer until chicken pieces are tender and fall apart easily when pierced with a knife, 45 minutes to 1 hour.  
8. To cook the vegetables, in a skillet,  heat the remaining 1 tbs. of canola oil and EVOO over medium heat.  Add the sprig of thyme, sprig of parsley, bay leaf, mushrooms, and onions.  Season with salt and pepper.  Saute until lightly browned and tender, 5 to 7 minutes.  Set aside and keep warm.  Add the reserved bacon and toss to combine.  Remove and discard the sprigs of thyme and parsley and bay leaf, set aside and keep warm. 
9. To finish the sauce, once the chicken is tender and fully cooked, transfer the pan from the oven to the cooktop.  Remove the chicken pieces to a bowl, cover and keep warm.
10. Remove and discard the bouquet garni.  In the Dutch oven, using an immersion blender puree the sauce and vegetables until smooth.  Or, once the chicken is removed, ladle the sauce and vegetables into a blender and puree a little at a time until smooth.
11. Cook over medium high-heat until the sauce coats the back of a wooden spoon; thin with more stock, if needed, to achieve this consistency.  Taste and adjust fro seasoning with salt and pepper.  Lift the spoon out of the sauce and run your finger across the back of the pan; if the line holds, the sauce is done.
12. Return the chicken to the sauce and turn to coat.  Add the reserved mushrooms and onions.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until warm and the flavors marry and blend, 5 to 7 minutes.  Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately. 

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