This week in our series of Winter Warmer specials, we give you the classic French Coq au Vin, a wintry comfort food dish at its best. It embodies the true spirit of French cuisine- a delicious rustic dish that can be prepared in advance and gathers everyone around the table to enjoy hearty food and a good glass of wine.

Ingredients :

• 4 good quality chicken quarters


• 300g smoked streaky bacon (rind removed, diced)


• 1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or chives


• 300g baby button mushrooms (trimmed)


• 3 carrots (chopped in chunks)


• 3 celery sticks (chopped in chunks)


• 2 tbsp plain flour


• 1 small bag of baby onions


• 1 bottle of red wine


• 2 garlic cloves


• 3 bay leaves


• 5 springs of fresh thyme


• Salt and fresh ground black pepper

Cooks In : 1 hour and 20 min

Difficulty : Medium

Preparation Method :

1. Bring the red wine to the boil and reduce it by a third, to remove the alcohol and concentrate the colour and flavour.
2. Season the chicken with salt and freshly ground pepper, and sprinkle it with some flour.
3. Grease a Dutch Pot with olive oil and then add the chicken in batches, skin-side down, and fry for 5 to 7 minutes on each side.
4. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set it aside.
5. Add the baby onions to the pot and fry for 1-2 minutes, or until just starting to crisp, then add the garlic and brown for 1-2 minutes. Remove and keep aside.
6. Fry the vegetables for around 1-2 minutes. Remove and keep aside.
7. On medium heat, add the wine to the Dutch Pot and whisk in the wine little by little; this will create a sauce and prevent lumps from forming.
8. Bring to a boil and skim any impurities from the surface. The wine will be slightly thickened and have the consistency of a light sauce. If the liquid is not enough add a little of water.
9. Preheated oven to 200° C/400° F/ Gas Mark 6.
10. Add the chicken pieces, thymes and bay leaves and return to the boil. Cover the Dutch pot with the lid, transfer to a preheated oven and reduce the temperature to 180° C and cook for 30 to 40 minutes.
11. In the meantime, add olive oil to a frying pan and cook the diced bacon for a couple of minutes until slightly brown.
12. Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
13. Add the bacon and mushrooms to the coq au vin 10 minutes before it is removed from the oven.

Tips :

Sprinkle with chives or parsley and serve piping hot, straight from the casserole. To serve, ladle the Coq au vin onto serving plates with a dollop of mashed potatoes alongside.