Coq Au Vin — in a crock pot

View at Picasa 15-Jan-2010 08:31, 3.2, 5.9mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 800

Admittedly, I’m still in a Julia & Julie cooking phase. Can’t make enough French comfort foods. So it was with a special grin that I used a crock pot to make the classic dish, Coq Au Vin (rooster/chicken in red wine). This makes a lovely meal for a company or weekday dinner. Simply prepare the ingredients early in the day, add them to the crock pot and return home later to a sumptuous aroma – and a delicious meal.

The classic preparation calls for Burgundy, I used a Chianti Classico that was in the pantry.

Coq Au Vin

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 strip bacon or Morningstar Farms® Veggie Bacon Strip
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and pepper
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 3 pounds chicken thighs, skinned
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 12 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced or quartered
• 2 celery stalked, sliced, bite-size
• 3 carrots, peeled, sliced, bite-size
• 1-1/2 cups loose-pack frozen small whole onions
• 2 springs of fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup dry red wine, plus a generous splash to deglaze the pan
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

Directions

1. In a large bowl or plastic bag, mix to combine: flour, dried thyme, pinch of salt and pepper. Add chicken thighs to lightly coat with seasoned flour.
2. Prepare a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Prepare bacon or veggie strip as noted on package. Set aside to cool. When cool, mince and place in crock pot.  Brown chicken thighs, several at a time, in the hot skillet until brown. Place chicken thighs in the crock pot.  Discard fat from the skillet leaving a tablespoon for the next step.
3. In the prepared skillet sauté garlic for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté for 3 – 5 minutes to soften; add a splash of red wine to deglaze the skillet, stirring frequently.
4. Add onions, celery and carrots to the crock pot on top of the chicken. Add sautéed mushrooms and garlic along with thyme springs, bay leaf. Pour wine over contents and add tomato paste. Stir to incorporate (make sure bay leaf and thyme sprigs are submerged).
5. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Using a slotted spoon, remove chicken from slow cooker. Discard bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Use a fork to remove chicken from the bone, shredding it into bite-size pieces. Discard bones. Return chicken to mixture in cooker.
6. Serving suggestions: hot mashed potatoes or egg noodles, green vegetable and salad.

Enjoy. Enjoy. Enjoy.

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