Coq au vin
Ingredients
for the coq au vin
1 Norfolk chicken, cut into 10 pieces
(breasts cut in half, thighs, drumsticks and wings with the tips removed)
500ml red wine
25g butter
150g shallots, peeled
5 garlic cloves, peeled and
finely chopped
150g Woodall’s Black Combe
air-dried ham, cut into strips
1 sprig of fresh thyme
350g button chestnut
mushrooms, washed
500ml fresh chicken stock
2 tbsps balsamic vinegar
sea salt & black pepper
for the ultimate mash
1kg Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and chopped into evenly-sized pieces
90g clotted cream
100g unsalted butter
sea salt & white pepper
to serve
1 small bunch flat leaf parsley,
roughly chopped
Method
To cook the coq au vin, marinate the chicken pieces in the red wine for 2 hours. Pre-heat the oven to 170°C /325°F/gas mark 3. Heat a thick-bottomed casserole dish on a medium to high heat, add the butter and the shallots and cook until just brown and caramelised. Add the garlic, ham and thyme and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Drain the red wine from the chicken and keep to one side. Add the mushrooms to the pan, then the red wine used for the marinade, chicken stock and vinegar and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the chicken pieces and bring the sauce back to the simmer. Once simmering, season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper and place the lid on the dish and put in the oven for about 40 minutes or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
To make the ultimate mash, place the potatoes in a pan of cold water with a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes until very tender. Whilst the potatoes are cooking heat up the cream and butter with a pinch of salt and pepper; when the butter has melted, stir in and remove from the heat. When the potato is cooked pass through a ricer into a bowl. Mix the butter and cream mixture through and again season to taste with salt and pepper.
To serve, sprinkle the chopped parsley on top of the coq au vin and serve in a bowl with some ultimate mashed potato.