Coq au Vin With Shiitake Mushrooms
- 1 ounce dried shiitake (Oriental black) mushrooms
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 ounce slab bacon, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 3 1/2 pound frying chicken, cut up
- 6 ounces small white onions, peeled
- 1/4 cup finely chopped carrot
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 1/2 cups dry red wine
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons cognac or brandy
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
- Place mushrooms in a bowl, cover with warm water and allow to soak 30 to 40 minutes, until softened.
- Meanwhile, in a heavy casserole, saute the bacon in the oil until golden and crisp.
- Remove the bacon from the casserole, draining it well, and add the chicken pieces.
- Brown the chicken over high heat until golden on all sides.
- You may not be able to do all the chicken at one time; do not crowd the pieces in the pan.
- Set the browned chicken aside.
- Toss the peeled onions in the hot fat briefly to lightly brown them.
- Remove the onions from the casserole.
- Lower heat and add the carrots, shallots and chopped onion.
- Saute until tender.
- Stir in the flour and cook, stirring over medium heat until the flour turns golden.
- Stir in the wine.
- Bring to a simmer, season lightly with salt, pepper and thyme then return the bacon and chicken to the casserole.
- Drain the mushrooms, reserving the liquid.
- Cut off any tough stems.
- Add the mushrooms to the casserole along with the soaking liquid.
- Cover casserole and place over low heat.
- Allow to cook slowly for 30 minutes.
- Add the lightly browned whole onions.
- Continue cooking about 20 minutes longer, until the onions are tender.
- Stir in the cognac or brandy.
- Taste for seasoning.
- Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with parsley.
shiitake, water, bacon, cooking oil, chicken, white onions, carrot, shallots, onion, flour, red wine, salt, thyme, cognac, parsley
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/2604 (may not work)