Actually, I find it quite fun to share how a dish came to be or other exciting information. A little bit of education right in the midst of everything. If you’re impatient and just want the recipe, feel free to scroll further down the page. But for those of you who enjoy impressing a bit and contributing to the conversation around the dinner table when guests arrive, I present here a couple of interesting historical anecdotes about the dish ”coq au vin”!

According to legend, the dish originates from Julius Caesar’s time in ancient Rome. It is said that Caesar had a cook who was known for making incredibly delicious poultry dishes. Once, during a campaign in Gaul, they were besieged in a village and had limited food supplies. The cook decided to prepare a pigeon, which was all they had left. He simmered the pigeon in red wine to tenderize the meat and give it flavor. The dish was so well-received that it became a tradition to cook chicken or rooster in wine in Gaul.

Another story suggests that ”coq au vin” became popular during the Middle Ages in France. Roosters were considered a symbol of pride and masculinity, and the dish is said to have gained popularity among knights and royals to symbolically showcase their bravery and power. Additionally, the dish was believed to have healing properties and to be good for strengthening the body.

Regardless of which story is true, ”coq au vin” is a well-known and beloved French dish today, known for its rich flavor and deep scent of red wine and herbs.

I personally think it tastes even better when reheated the next day, making it the perfect dish to prepare the day before, and even better when cooking in large quantities!

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How to cook ”Coq au vin”

WHAT YOU NEED:

• 170 grams of meaty bacon, sliced 0.5 cm thick and cut into 2.5 cm wide strips (or alternatively, bacon)
• 1.8 kg of chicken, cut into 8 pieces (or a rooster if you can find one!)
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
• 4 large carrots, sliced 0.6 cm thick
• 4 dl of dry red wine, such as Pinot Noir or cooking wine
• 4 dl of chicken broth or low-sodium broth
• Bouquet garni (4 sprigs of thyme, 8 sprigs of parsley, and 1 bay leaf, tied with kitchen twine)
• 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 450 grams of shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley

HERE’S HOW YOU DO IT:

Preparation In a very large deep frying pan, fry the bacon over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until it is crispy, about 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a plate.

Pat the chicken dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in the frying pan, skin-side down, in a single layer and fry over medium-high heat, turning once, until it has browned all over, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat in the frying pan.

Add the garlic, onion, and carrots to the pan. Cover with a lid and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until just barely tender, about 2 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for an additional 3 minutes until almost tender.
Add the wine and cook over high heat, scraping up any browned bits, until it has reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

Add the broth, bouquet garni, and bacon, and let simmer. Place the chicken pieces into the broth, cover partially, and simmer over low heat until the chicken is fully cooked (completely white), about 45 minutes.

Melt the butter in the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Once the foam subsides, add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until they are browned and softened, 7-8 minutes.

Add the mushrooms to the chicken and simmer for 5 minutes. Discard the bouquet garni.

Garnish your coq au vin with parsley and serve!