The Best Coq au Vin

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Make The Best Coq au Vin

The Best Coq au Vin

A delicious and rustic French classic!  Red wine, brandy, pancetta, shallots, mushrooms, herbs & a pinch of chilli what a wonderful combination for chicken!

Serves 4

Prep time:  15 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

50g butter

200g pancetta or smoked bacon, sliced

8 small shallots, peeled

250g button mushrooms

3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1.5kg chicken thighs with bone, seasoned with salt and pepper

4 tbsp brandy

3 sprigs fresh thyme

250ml chicken stock

500ml hearty dry red wine

1 tbsp tomato puree

Pinch of dried chilli flakes

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp plain flour

Crusty bread to serve

Method

1.    In a large frying pan or wok melt 25g/1 oz of the butter and add the pancetta and fry until crisp and golden.  Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

2.     Add the shallots to the pan and sauté until slightly browned, about 5 minutes and then add the mushrooms and garlic, sauté for about 5 minutes.  Remove from the pan and set aside.

3.    Now add the remaining 25g of butter and melt in the pan.  In batches add the chicken and cook on both sides until browned, about 10 minutes.  Return all the chicken to the pan and remove from the heat.  Add the brandy and flambé.  Remove the chicken from the pan.

4.    Add the thyme, stock, wine, tomato puree and chilli flakes to the pan and bring to the boil.  Return the chicken to the pan, cover and simmer for 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.  During the last 10 minutes add the pancetta and vegetables.

5.    Remove the chicken, pancetta and vegetables from the pan with a slotted spoon and cover with foil.  Also remove the pan of broth from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

6.    In a small bowl mash the butter and flour together to make a buerre manié.  Return the pan to the heat and bring to the boil.  Add ½ cup of the broth to the buerre manié and whisk together, now whisk into the rest of the broth.

7.    Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes.

8.    Season to taste and return the chicken and vegetables to the pan and coat with the sauce.  Serve with crusty bread.

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the Best Salad Nicoise

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Make the Best Salad Nicoise

Salad Nicoise

A wonderful summer salad!  This dish is also just as delicious with large flakes of tinned tuna!

Serves 4

Prep time:  15 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

12 new potatoes, halved

150g green beans, trimmed

1 red onion, peeled & finely sliced

250g cherry plum tomatoes, halved

12 black olives

2 baby gem lettuce, trimmed & torn into pieces

10 basil leaves

4 eggs, hard boiled & quartered

4 x 150g tuna steaks

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt & freshly ground pepper

For the dressing:

150ml extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp Dijon Mustard

1 garlic clove, peeled & finely chopped

3 tbsp white wine vinegar

½ lemon, juice only

8 anchovy fillets, drained & chopped

1 tbsp capers

Sea salt & freshly ground pepper

Method

1.  Bring to the boil a pan of salted water and add the new potatoes, boil for 6 minutes.  Add the beans and boil for a further 3-4 minutes until tender.  Drain the vegetables and place in a bowl of iced water.

2.  For the dressing, whisk together all the ingredients, season to taste.

3.  Place the green beans, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, olives, lettuce and basil into a large bowl.  Drizzle with the dressing and gently toss.

4.  Divide the salad between 4 plates and then add the boiled eggs.

5.  For the tuna steak, preheat a ridged griddle pan over a medium heat.  Brush the tuna steaks with the oil and season.  Sear the tuna for 1 ½ - 2 minutes on each side.  The centres will be slightly pink.

6.  Cut the tuna steak in half and arrange both halves on top of the salad. Enjoy!

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French Onion Soup with Gruyere Toast

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Make French Onion Soup with Gruyere Toast

French Onion Soup with Gruyere Toast

A classic soup - superbly warming and satisfying for a wintry evening

Serves 4

Prep time:  15 minutes

Cooking time:  1 ½ hours

Ingredients

60g butter

700g medium white onions, peeled & sliced

2 tsp caster sugar

2 garlic cloves, peeled & crushed

1 tbsp flour

1.5 litres beef stock

1 bouquet garni (bay leaves, thyme & parsley)

275 ml dry white wine

2 tbsp cognac

Freshly ground salt & pepper

For the Gruyere Toast

4 slices of baguette, 2cm thick

2 garlic cloves, peeled 

225g gruyere cheese, coarsely grated

Preparation method

1.  Heat the butter in a large pan, when melted add the onions, garlic and sugar and cook over a medium heat.  Stir regularly for 20-30 minutes until the onions are really soft and well caramelized.

2.  Now add the flour, mix well and cook for a couple of minutes.  Add the wine and leave to simmer until it has reduced by half.

3.  Add the beef stock, cognac and bouquet garni, cover and leave to simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove the bouquet garni and season the soup to taste.

4.  Meanwhile preheat the oven to 150°C/Gas Mark 2.  Place the slices of bread onto a baking tray and leave them to dry out but not brown.  Remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 220°C/Gas Mark 7.

5.  Rub ½ a clove of garlic over each piece of bread.

6.  To serve, place a slice of bread at the bottom of an ovenproof soup bowl and ladle the soup on top, making sure the onions and soup are evening distributed.  Cover the soup with the cheese, place the bowls onto a baking tray and bake in the oven for 30 minutes until golden and bubbling.



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Beef bourguignon with mashed potatoes

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Make Beef bourguignon with mashed potatoes

Beef bourguignon with mashed potatoes

A delicious and rustic French classic! Red wine, brandy, pancetta, shallots, mushrooms and herbs, what a wonderful combination for beef!

 

Serves 4

Prep time:  15 minutes

Cooking time: 2 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 tbsp plain flour

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 kg/2lb 4oz shin of beef, cut into large cubes

2 tbsp olive oil

150g/5oz pancetta, cut into small chunks

2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 large onion, sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

50ml/2fl oz brandy

500ml/18fl oz Burgundy, or other red wine

250ml/9fl oz beef stock

1 tbsp tomato puree

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs thyme, leaves finely chopped

2 sprigs flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

25g/1oz butter

150g/5oz small baby onions

200g/7oz chestnut mushrooms

For the mash

1kg/2lb 4oz floury potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

110g/4oz butter

110ml/4fl oz full-fat milk

Method

1.  For the beef bourguignon, sprinkle the flour onto a plate and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dredge the beef in the seasoned flour and set aside.

2.  Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a large frying pan and fry the pancetta for 1-2 minutes, or until golden-brown and set aside.   Add the beef in batches and fry for a further 4-5 minutes, or until browned on each side, set aside.   Add the carrots, shallot, onion and garlic and fry for 4-5 minutes, or until just softened.

3.  Now add the beef and pancetta to the pan and add the brandy and slowly tilt the pan towards the gas flame, or light it with a match. Let the flames flare up then die down.

4.  Add the red wine, beef stock and tomato puree, bring to a simmer. Add the bay leaves, thyme and parsley then cover and cook on a low heat for two hours, or until the beef is tender and the sauce has thickened.

5.  Heat the butter and remaining oil in a frying pan and fry the baby onions for 4-5, or until just golden-brown.

6.  Add the browned onions and chestnut mushrooms to the beef mixture and cook for a further 20 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

7.  Meanwhile, for the mash, cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling salted water for 12-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

8.  Drain and return to the pan, then place over the heat for one minute to drive off any excess moisture.

9.  Mash the potatoes well, then add the butter and milk and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

10.  To serve, spoon some mash onto serving plates and spoon the beef bourguignon alongside.

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the Best Coq au Vin

Learn how to do the Best Coq au Vin for your friends and family. this revenue from the Best Coq au Vin it is delicious

Make the Best Coq au Vin

The Best Coq au Vin

A delicious and rustic French classic!  Red wine, brandy, pancetta, shallots, mushrooms, herbs & a pinch of chilli what a wonderful combination for chicken!

Serves 4

Prep time:  15 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

50g/2 oz butter

200g/7 oz pancetta or smoked bacon, sliced

8 small shallots, peeled

250g/8 ½ oz button mushrooms

 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1.5kg/3 ¼ lb chicken, jointed and seasoned with salt and pepper

4 tbsp brandy

2 sprigs fresh thyme

250ml/8 fl oz chicken stock

500ml/16 fl oz hearty dry red wine

1 tbsp tomato puree

Pinch of dried chilli flakes

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp plain flour

Crusty bread to serve

Method

1.       In a large frying pan or wok melt 25g/1 oz of the butter and add the pancetta and fry until crisp and golden.  Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

2.      Add the shallots to the pan and sauté until slightly browned, about 5 minutes and then add the mushrooms and garlic, sauté for about 5 minutes.  Remove from the pan and set aside.

3.      Now add the remaining 25g/1 oz of butter and melt in the pan.  In batches add the chicken and cook on both sides until browned, about 10 minutes.  Return all the chicken to the pan and remove from the heat.  Add the brandy and flambé.  Remove the chicken from the pan.

4.      Add the thyme, stock, wine and chilli flakes to the pan and bring to the boil.  Return the chicken to the pan, cover and simmer for 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.  During the last 10 minutes add the pancetta and vegetables.

5.      Remove the chicken, pancetta and vegetables from the pan with a slotted spoon and cover with foil.  Also remove the pan of broth from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

6.      In a small bowl mash the butter and flour together to make a buerre manié.  Return the pan to the heat and bring to the boil.  Add ½ cup of the broth to the buerre manié and whisk together, now whisk into the rest of the broth.

7.      Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes.

8.      Season to taste and return the chicken and vegetables to the pan and coat with the sauce.  Serve with crusty bread.

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