Recipe of the Week: Coq Au Riesling
October 11, 2011I dedicate this 'Recipe of the Week' to one of my loyal followers who requested this delicious Alsatian meal. Hope you enjoy this with someone special...
COQ AU RIESLING (CHICKEN WITH RIESLING)
Various legends trace coq au vin to ancient Gaul and Julius Caesar. In Alsace, a beautiful region influenced by both French and German cuisines, a somewhat similar recipe, Coq au Riesling, is made with mostly the same components as coq au vin except the vin in the recipe is not red, but a fresh, mineral-rich Riesling.
I love the Alsatian version of coq au vin because it’s lighter, but still a classic French comfort food dish - the perfect recipe for fall! I like the creaminess of the sauce, spiked with bacon, mushrooms, shallots and parsley, poured over the traditional buttered Spätzle, a type of egg noodles that beautifully accompanies this dish.
INGREDIENTS FOR 6 SERVINGS:
· 1 chicken weighing (about 3 1/2 lbs)
· 3.5 tablespoons of butter
· 3 shallots
· 1 clove of garlic
· 2 tablespoons of cognac
· 1 & 3/4 cups of Riesling
· 3 cups of button mushrooms
· 1 cup cubed pancetta (Italian pancetta)
· I cup of fresh cream, optional
· salt and pepper
· fresh parsley to garnish
METHOD
1. Chop the chicken into portion-sized pieces. Brown them in a casserole dish for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, keep warm.
2. Add the pancetta, chopped shallots and garlic to the dish and flambee with cognac. Add the chicken. Deglaze with the Riesling. Add the button mushrooms. Check the seasoning. Leave to cook for 40 minutes on a gentle heat.
3. Remove the pieces of chicken and arrange them on a serving dish. Reduce the cooking liquid and add the cream while stirring. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.
MY ADVICE: I really love to serve this dish alongside the traditional buttered Spätzle egg noddle. As the name of the recipe suggests, a dry Riesling makes for the ideal pairing to this dish. When possible, serve the same wine used to cook the coq, otherwise serve a Riesling with a slightly fuller body and good fruit to balance the cream in the sauce. A Pinot Gris will also work quite nicely. I really enjoyed these wines while in Alsace!
(Recipe from Alsatian Cuisine by Evelyne Sevrin)
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