Ingredients
Serves 4
Coq au Vin
20 small onions (pickling onions), peeled
50 g butter
100g bacon, cut into thin strips
250g mushrooms
8 chicken pieces on the bone (eg. 4 drumsticks and 4 thighs)
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
30 ml Cognac
1 large tablespoon plain flour
400 ml good red wine
1 sprig thyme
A few sprigs parsley
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp chopped parsley
Raspberry Tartlets
Makes about 20 x 6 cm tartlets
250 ml milk
2 egg yolks
1/3 vanilla pod, split open lengthwise
50g caster sugar
25g plain flour, sifted
Sweet Shortcrust Pastry, chilled
3 tablespoons pure cream
3 tablespoons apricot jam
Splash of water
600g raspberries
Method
Coq au Vin (Chicken Burgundy)
From the Burgundy region
This is one of the first classic French dishes I learned to prepare as an eighteen-year-old chef in Paris. There are several version of the dish and if you have time you can marinate the chicken in the wine overnight.
Place the onions in a saucepan with plenty of cold water and bring to the boil.
Boil for 2 minutes then drain well.
Melt half the butter in a large ovenproof saucepan or casserole dish. Add the onions and brown them over a medium heat for a few minutes. Add the bacon and stir well for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for 4 – 5 minutes until the mushrooms are soft. Transfer the onions, bacon and mushrooms to a dish.
Add the remaining butter to the pan and brown the chicken pieces over a high heat for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir well.
Drain off excess fat into a bowl and discard.
Add the Cognac to the pan and carefully flame the chicken pieces. (It is safest to do this away from the stove). Stir well, then sprinkle on the flour. Pour in the wine and shake the pan.
Use kitchen string to tie the thyme, parsley and bay leaf together to make a bouquet garni.
Add to the pan, together with the garlic and tomato paste, and stir well. Bring to a slow simmer, cover with a lid and cook for about 20 minutes.
Turn the chicken pieces over and add the mushrooms, bacon and onions to the pan and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Check the seasoning, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
Note: If you prefer a thicker sauce, pour it into a separate saucepan and boil until it reduces to your liking.
Raspberry Tartlets
From the Loire Valley Region
I prepared this dessert hundreds of times during my chef's apprenticeship in the Loire Valley. The pastry shells and crème patissiere can both be made ahead of time, but if you make the pastry on the same day, be sure to allow time for it to rest for at least 1 hour before rolling out. Avoid assembling the tartlets more than 2 hours before serving as the pastry will become soggy.
To make the crème patissiere bring the milk to a boil in a medium saucepan.
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, vanilla pod and caster sugar for 2 minutes. When well blended, whisk in the sifted flour. Pour on the hot milk and whisk well until smooth.
Return the mixture to the rinsed-out saucepan and cook over a medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, tip the mixture into a bowl. Whisk briefly and leave to cool.
When cold, remove the vanilla pod, cover with plastic film and refrigerate until ready to use.
When ready to make the tartlets, preheat the oven to 200˚C. Grease 6 cm loose-bottomed tartlet tins and arrange them on a flat baking sheet.
Remove the pastry from the fridge and knead slightly before rolling it out on a well-floured surface.
Cut the pastry into squares to fit the tartlet moulds. Line the moulds with the pastry, pushing it in gently.
Trim the edges with your fingertips, taking care not to make them too thin and fragile.
Cook for around 10 minutes, or until the edges have browned and the pastry is cooked.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool before unmoulding.
Mix the crème patissiere with the cream.
Heat the apricot jam with a little water to make a runny glaze.
To assemble the tartlets, place a spoonful of pastry cream into each pastry shell and spread it a little. Arrange the raspberries decoratively over the cream, working form the edge to the centre. Brush lightly with the apricot glaze and chill until ready to serve.
Taste Le Tour: Regional French Cuisine by Gabriel Gatè, Hardie Grant, RRP: $35.00