Coq Au Vin Recipe

• 8 Joints free range chicken, on the bone and skin removed
• 5 Cloves of garlic, crushed
• 25 gm Butter
• 500 ml Red wine
• 150 gm shallots, peeled but left whole
• 150 gm Streaky bacon, cut thickly
• 350 gm Button mushrooms
• Sprig of fresh thyme
• 2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
• 500 ml Chicken stock
• Small bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
• Salt and crushed black pepper to taste

• Heat a thick-bottomed casserole dish on the stove and add almost all the butter, shallots and garlic to it.
• Cook gently till just browned and combine the bacon and thyme with it and cook for about 2-3 minutes.
• Add the mushrooms, turn up the flame and add the red wine, chicken stock and vinegar to it.
• Combine the chicken pieces with it and bring the sauce to the boil.
• Now simmer gently for about 25 minutes till the chicken is cooked through.
• Add the parsley, salt, peeper, together with a knob of butter.