From the 1960s TV show “The French Chef” came many classic dishes. Julia Child made good on Herbert Hoover’s promise of a ”chicken in every pot” by translating her wildly popular recipe for coq au vin into the simple dish that it is, made with mushrooms, onions, bacon, red wine, and (natch) chicken. Since then, it has been recreated in millions of kitchens for decades.
Many of the versions of this dish floating around when Madame Child was learning to cook in Paris were based on ancient recipes that called for a rooster or cock (coq) well past his crowing days. A rooster who’s no longer cock of the walk has flesh that’s incredibly flavorful and sturdy enough to stand up to the frying, simmering, and more simmering required in this fricassée. In addition, the cockscomb, feet, head, and kidneys were tossed in for good measure. Blood was also added to the pot for a little thickening power and that oh-so-français touch, which put the dish over the top.
Julia knew (I’m assuming things here, but I like the intimate familiarity and the ring of “Julia knew”) that getting an old rooster and a cup o’ blood ain’t exactly easy. Not unless you live between the East and Left Coasts and have a hatchet handy. So she tried to squeeze as much flavor as possible into this dish since its publication in Mastering the Art of French Cooking and the redux years later. She smartly chose brown chicken stock, which is a homemade stock made by first searing the chicken pieces. It’s a simple and easy way of adding extra depth and complexity. Short on time? Take a few dried mushrooms (porcini or shiitake), add them to your mother-in-law’s bonafide homemade chicken stock or, forbid, store-bought beef broth and simmer gently, covered, until fully hydrated. The mushrooms, a great umami source, add an extra, indefinable oomph. You might need to top off the amount of liquid once the ‘shrooms have blossomed in order to equal Julia’s requisite two cups.
We think of this as a weekend project because making it one day and eating it the next only enhances the flavor. We suggest whipping this up on Saturday, letting it cool, and then refrigerating it. Take it out Sunday, skim any fat from the top, and heat it gently—and we do mean gently—over low heat until warmed through. Considering you’ll be sitting down to a rooster-less, bloodless coq au vin, it’ll be pretty darn tasty.—David Leite
Coq au Vin Recipe
| From Julia Child’s Kitchen | Alfred A. Knopf, 1979 | Serves 4 to 6
Active time: 30 minutesTotal time: 1 hour
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup lardons, cut into 1/4 by 1 1/2-inch strips (optional)
- 2 or more tablespoons olive oil
- 2 1/2 pounds ready-cut frying chicken (a selection of parts, or all of one kind), thoroughly dried
- 1/4 cup Cognac or Armagnac
- Salt and pepper
- 1 imported bay leaf
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 16 to 20 small white onions, peeled
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups red wine (Burgundy, Côtes du Rhône, or Pinot Noir)
- About 2 cups brown chicken stock or beef bouillon
- 1 or 2 cloves garlic, mashed or minced
- About 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3/4 pound fresh mushrooms, trimmed, washed, and quartered
Directions
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1. If you are using lardons, sauté several minutes in 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy-bottomed casserole until lightly browned; remove lardons to a side dish and leave fat in pan. (Otherwise, film pan with 1/8 inch of oil.)
2. Heat fat or oil in pan to moderately hot, add chicken, not crowding pan; turn frequently to brown nicely on all sides. Pour in the Cognac, shake pan a few seconds until bubbling hot, then ignite Cognac with a match. Let flame a minute, swirling pan by its handle to burn off alcohol; extinguish with pan cover.
3. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper; add bay leaf and thyme. Place onions around the chicken. Cover and cook slowly 10 minutes, turning once.
4. Uncover pan and sprinkle on the flour, turning chicken and onions so flour is absorbed; cook 3 to 4 minutes more, turning once or twice.
5. Remove from heat, gradually stir and swirl in the wine and enough stock or bouillon to almost cover the chicken. Add the browned lardons, garlic, and tomato paste to the pan. Cover and simmer slowly 25 to 30 minutes, then test chicken; remove those pieces that are tender, and continue cooking the rest a few minutes longer. If onions are not quite tender, continue cooking them; then return all chicken to the pan, add mushrooms, and simmer 4 to 5 minutes. Taste carefully, and correct seasoning. Sauce should be just thick enough to coat chicken and vegetables lightly. If too thin, boil down rapidly to concentrate; if too thick, thin out with spoonfuls of bouillon.
- Ratatouille from Vintage Victuals
- Caesar Salad from Jane Spice
- Eggs Benedict from Leite’s Culinaria
- Steak au Poivre from Leite’s Culinaria
Coq au Vin recipe © 1979 Julia Child. All rights reserved.
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This is not too hard to make and great for company! We served it over medium egg noodles and crunchy French bread for dipping into the extra sauce. Our guests loved it.
Very flavorful dish. We loved it.
Fun to make, impressive to watch, and possibly the best tasting coq au vin I’ve had the extreme pleasure of tasting. I said a prayer of thanksgiving for Julia Child when I tasted this.
Simple, yet delicious. Easy to make after work. And the bonus: Leftovers taste better a day or two later.
I have used this recipe several times and have had rave reviews from all guests. Thanks so much.
Great recipe! Need I say more?
After trying several Coq Au Vin recipes, the entire family rated this one the best. We had no leftovers for a change.
[Krista Winjum] This streamlined version of Coq au Vin eliminates the overnight marinating of the chicken. But you won’t miss it because this version is wonderful. It has all of the classic flavors–lardons, herbs, red wine, mushrooms, and onions–but it’s so easy to make. I served it with egg noodles and a salad, and my guests nearly licked their plates, they loved it so much.
I am poised to cook – but have a couple of questions. Can the chicken be skinless? And, as far as a heavy bottomed casserole, is this a dutch oven style? Thanks for your guidance.
A good day to cook coq au vin, Ruth. The chicken can be skinless, although be careful to cook it very, very gently as the meat will be lacking that moisturizing barrier between it and the heat and may, as a result, turn slightly tough. What I recommend is instead using skin-on and then, if you prefer not to have the slippery skin to deal with on the plate, remove it after cooking but prior to serving. That way the fat will still impart some flavor to the sauce and can still protect the delicate meat beneath…
Made this last night using chicken thighs. Out of the world delicious. Used a WA state Merlot and whole wheat egg noodles. Yum. Thanks for sharing Julia’s recipe.
So glad that you enjoyed it! Thanks for letting us know
Beth