Member Insights by Jennifer Griffith, First Merchants Bank
Welcome to Fall and the season of comfort food. Slow braised meats, Sunday soups, and crock pot dinners. A friend asked me about some of my favorite recipes, and I’ll share this one with you –
Coq Au Vin, by Jennifer
As the name suggests, this requires great chicken and great wine. Don’t ever cook with wine that isn’t delicious—it will ruin your meal.
I prefer to make this dish in a big Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid.
Start by patting the chicken dry and season well with salt and pepper. I prefer to use mostly thighs, but use your favorite (bone in). Next, brown your chicken on both sides in some olive oil in the bottom of your Dutch oven. Remove the chicken to a plate and get started on your vegetables.
I love carrots, onions and celery, and I always use thyme. Sauté your vegetables in the delicious chicken drippings with plenty of seasoning and some garlic to finish. Let your vegetables brown a bit—you won’t regret it.
Now it’s time to intoxicate the chicken. Add all your chicken parts back to the Dutch oven (feel free to add some small potatoes) and cover with a bottle of bold red wine. Add about half a box of stock and more thyme (lots of thyme!). Put this in the oven with the lid on at 300 degrees for about 35 minutes.
After 35 minutes, take the lid off and return the Dutch oven to the stove top. Remove chicken, then thicken the wine and stock a bit with butter and flour, and check your seasoning. It will thicken up in about ten minutes. Return chicken to Dutch oven, and feel free to add some sautéed mushrooms. Serve to your family and friends immediately…..and with a great bottle of wine.
I love to serve this with dark mushrooms over thick egg noodles with lots of chopped flat-leaf parsley.
You’ll be serving up joy for all. Don’t forget that servant leadership isn’t just for the office. It’s a way of life. Happy Fall!