Weeknight Coq au Vin

I love Coq au Vin, but most recipes turn it into an event. Here's a version that's simple enough to put together on a weeknight.


I left work at 5; dinner was on the table by 7, even though I putzed around a bit.


I served this with packet asparagus* and roasted potatoes.**



*Cut the tough ends off, season with salt, pepper, thyme, and a squeeze of lemon juice, spread in 1-2 layers and wrap in foil, bake in oven at 200 for one hour.

**Cut into bite-sized pieces, toss with salt, pepper, and olive oil, spread in a single layer and cook in a 400 degree oven for 20-40 minutes.


4 tablespoons bacon fat (or 2 each of olive oil and butter)
2 breasts and two whole legs of chicken
flour
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
2 onions, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt, pepper, thyme
1 can diced tomatoes
1 c dry red wine
1/2 c stock (beef is traditional, I used goat, chicken would also work)

Heat 2 tablespoons of the fat over medium-high heat in a large pan for which you have a cover. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dredge it with flour. Add it to the pan, one piece at a time so the temperature of the oil doesn't drop too much, and brown on all sides. Remove, set aside, and wipe out the pan.

Decrease the heat to medium. Add the remaining fat to the pan and, when it is hot, add the sliced mushrooms. Cook until they brown, about 5 minutes. Add the onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme. Cook until the onions are translucent and beginning to turn golden, 5-7 minutes. Add the tomatoes and stock and cook, stirring, until they break up, 5 minutes. Add the wine and chicken, cover the pan, and reduce heat to med-low. Cook an additional 20-30 minutes, turning every 5 minutes.

**One can also omit the chicken, double the recipe, and serve the mushroom sauce over rice. I've done it, for vegetarians.

Braised Chicken with Olives and Almonds

This dish is a real show stopper, because it's one of those where you can't quite tell what all is in there, but the flavors are balanced marvelously. It's a bit fussy, but *so* worth it, and it's perfect for this weird time of year when I'm completely sick of wintery food but the spring veggies haven't yet started to arrive, and when I still want stick-to-your-ribs food but not quite as sticky as I wanted in November.



Adapted from my absolute favorite food blog, Smitten Kitchen. Serves two, or up to four if, like me, the eaters think one thigh is plenty.

Braised Chicken with Olives and Almonds

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup blanched almonds (preferably Marcona)
1/4 cup country bread, torn into small pieces (I used my now-somewhat-stale no-knead bread)
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
Small pinch saffron
1 tablespoon chopped parsley (or green garlic)
1 tablespoon grape seed oil
4 chicken thighs
Salt
Paprika
Flour for dusting
1 dried ancho chili
1/2 large white onion, sliced
1/2 cup very dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup pitted green olives, sliced

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small braising pan. Add the almonds, bread and garlic. Cook over medium heat so the garlic softens and the bread toasts but nothing burns. Scrape into a food processor and let cool for 5 minutes. Add the saffron and parsley and pulse until it resembles tabbouleh.

2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Add the grape seed oil to the braiser and place over medium-high heat. Let the oil get very hot, almost to the smoke point, while you dust the chicken with salt and paprika and then dredge it in the flour. Add the chicken, two pieces at a time so it isn't crowded, and brown all sides, then remove to a plate. Wipe out the pan. Add the remaining olive oil, the chili, and the onions and cook until softened. Remove the chili and reserve it for your next dish. Nestle the chicken in the pan, pour in the wine and reduce by half.

3. Add the almond mixture and the broth, bring to a simmer, cover the pan and braise in the oven until the chicken is almost tender, about 40 minutes. Stir in the olives and cook until the chicken is very tender, 10 minutes more. Serve from the pan.

So that was Monday dinner: I snacked on some manchengo and quince paste, some of the green olives, and some of the marcona almonds while I was cooking, then dinner proper was this chicken, saffron rice, and the braised greens from my last two posts. And...yum...and definitely company-worthy.