Judy's Recipe

COQ AU VIN ON A BUDGET

Category: main entrees

Servings 6
prep time 20 minutes
cooking time about 2 hours


6 leg quarters
1/4 lb. bacon
1 medium onion chopped
1 bunch green onions sliced medium
1 stick butter
pepper to taste
salt to taste
1/4 cup brandy (cheap is fine)
3 cups red wine (Negromaro or cheap $3.99 a bottle red wine from your favorite italian mart.)
2 cups beef stock
1 cup water
2 cloves minced garlic
3 bay leaves
small handful fresh thyme taken off stem
16 oz. white mushrooms sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons of flour

Prepare bacon by slicing and boiling in a pan of water for 10 minutes. Meanwhile separate thigh from leg on quarters. Brown in a hot large skillet or dutch oven with olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter. Salt and pepper to taste. If it seems to be burning turn down heat. Approximately 10 minutes on each side. Drain pan with water and bacon. Add onions both types to bacon pan. Cook until bacon is brown and onions have sweated down. Add the brandy to the chicken and carefully ignite. Swish the pan until flames go out. Pour the wine, beef stock and water into dutch oven of chicken. Then add bay leaves, thyme, garlic, onions and bacon. Cover and cook over medium low heat 25 minutes. While the chicken is cooking saute the mushrooms along with 2 tablespoons of butter also salt and pepper to taste. There should be no bloody look toward the bone on the thigh when the chicken is done. Once done take chicken out of pan. Set to the side. Take bay leaves out of pan and discard. Skim all of the fat off the top of the broth. Turn up heat and reduce to about 2-1/2 cups. Cream together flour and 2 tablespoons of butter. Take broth off of heat. Whisk the flour mixture into the broth blend well. Return sauce to low heat it should begin to thicken. Add chicken and mushrooms back to pot. Cover and cook over low heat until chicken is warmed back up. Serve hot. enjoy.