Coq au vin

For the marinade

• • 1 bottle good-quality red wine (preferably Pinot Noir)

  • 1 tbsp redcurrant jelly

  • 1 small onion, chopped

  • 2 sticks celery, chopped

  • 1 carrot, chopped

  • 4 garlic cloves, un-peeled, bruised

  • 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 2 cloves

For the stew

• • 4 large chicken joints, skinned ( used 15 chicken thigh fillets)

  • 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for shallow frying

  • 100g/3½oz smoked pancetta, rind removed, cut into large cubes

  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 2/3 desert spoon plain flour

  • 25g/1oz butter

  • 20 button onions, peeled (Or to onions chopped)

  • 20 button mushrooms (or mushroom ketchup)

  • 3 tbsp cognac

  • olive oil, for shallow frying

  • boiled or steamed potatoes, to serve

• 1. Place the marinade ingredients into a casserole dish and bring to the boil. Allow the volume of liquid to reduce by one-third and strain into a clean, non-reactive bowl. Place the chicken pieces into the marinade, cover and leave to chill in the fridge for at least 5-6 hours or, preferably, overnight.

  2. Warm the olive oil in the casserole dish and gently fry the pancetta until golden-brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.

  3. Remove the chicken joints from the marinade, setting the liquid aside. Season the chicken joints with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fry until golden-brown in a little olive oil. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

  4. Add the butter to the dish and place the onions and mushrooms into the casserole and fry gently for 10 minutes, or until golden-brown. Return the chicken and bacon to the pot, turn up the heat and pour over the cognac. Set alight, allow the flames to die down. Stir in 2 (or 3) heaped desert spoons floor. Add the reserved, reduced wine. Cover and gently simmer for one hour.

  5. Serve the coq au vin with simply boiled or steamed potatoes.