Easy Breezy Seasonal Recipes: Coq Au Vin

Whether we confess it or not, a recipe requiring more than 3 ingredients can seem like the first step into a daunting crusade in the kitchen. So how do you pick out a recipe that is both budget and user-friendly, without compromising amazing taste? Look no further! To encourage culinary health and happiness, The Purple Fig has found seasonal recipes to satisfy your appetite for delicious food! This month: a French stew for a summer evening.

The Basics

Courtesy of Tyler Florence’s cookbook Stirring the Pot, this month’s seasonal summer dish goes by the name of Coq Au Vin (translated literally as “rooster in wine”) is a classic French chicken casserole of carrots, mushrooms, onions, celery, and- you guessed it -chicken!

Using all organic ingredients and a free-range chicken, this particular recipe serves 4, costs roughly $16 per person, and takes 1 hour 45 minutes to cook.

Now to meet our chef and fellow Purple Fig employee, Mrs. Mitzi!

The Ingredients

• 1 3- to 4-pound whole, free range chicken
• 1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour
• 2 carrots, sliced into chunks
• 1 large onion, cut into chunks
• 3 ribs of celery, cut into chunks
• 1/4 bunch of fresh thyme sprigs (about 4 sprigs)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 750 ml bottle of dry red wine
• 4 thick slices of bacon, cut into long & thin strips
• 1 cup of pearl onions, peeled
• 1 cup of button mushrooms, halved
• 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• OPTIONAL: 4 servings of rice, preferably brown

Vegetarian/Vegan Substitutes

This dish isn’t just meant for meat lovers! As a substitute for chicken, use:

• 1 eggplant, peeled and chopped into thick chunks
• 1 package of organic tempeh 

And an even healthier substitute for the rice:

• 1 head of cauliflower, grated into a fine meal (resembling rice)

The Recipe (non-vegetarian)

**Note that the chicken, rice, bacon, and parsley can be served separately**

1. Cut the chicken into 10 pieces (2 legs, 2 thighs, 2 wings, quartered breast).

2. In a large pot/Dutch oven, heat 3 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat.

3. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour.

4. Cook the chicken pieces for 7 to 10 minutes, browning the skin. Add the carrots, celery, onion, thyme, and bay leaf. Pour in the red wine, deglaze the pan by scraping the bottom for any brown bits, and cover to let it simmer on low heat for 1 hour.

5. After an hour, remove the chicken and vegetables and place on two separate clean platters. Strain any braising liquid and place back on the pot, letting it simmer for 15 minutes until syrupy. Place the chicken back in the liquid.

6. Heat a pot of filtered water over high heat. Begin cooking the rice, as per the instructions on the package.

7. In a large sauté pan, cook the bacon over medium heat. Once crispy, remove the bacon and drain it on paper towels, keeping the fat in the pan.

8. Toss the pearl onions in the pan and cook until golden and caramelized; add salt and pepper to taste. Remove the onions and toss in the mushrooms, cooking fully and seasoning with salt and pepper.

9. To serve altogether, toss the pearl onions, bacon, and mushrooms into the pot with the chicken. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with the cooked rice!

The Recipe (vegetarian/vegan)

1. Peel the eggplant and cut it into large chunks. Remove the tempeh from its packaging and cut it into large blocks.

2. In a large pot/Dutch oven, heat 3 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat.

3. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Dredge the eggplant and tempeh pieces in the flour.

4. Cook the veggie pieces, carrots, celery, onion, thyme, and bay leaf for 5 to 7 minutes, or until slightly browned. Pour in the red wine, stirring the ingredients, and cover to let it simmer on low heat for 20-30 minutes.

5. Season the grated caulifower with salt and pepper to taste, and pour it into a pan over medium heat. Allow to cook, stirring meanwhile, until nearly golden. Turn the burner off and set aside.

6. When the eggplant medley is fully cooked, turn the burner on its lowest setting.

7. On another burner, place a large sauté pan on medium heat with 3 tbsp of olive oil. Toss the pearl onions in the pan and cook until golden and caramelized; add salt and pepper to taste. Remove the onions and toss in the mushrooms, cooking fully and seasoning with salt and pepper.

8. Toss the pearl  onions and mushrooms into the pot with the eggplant and tempeh. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve!