Coq au vin

Coq au Vin  ( chicken with wine)

Ingredients

• 4 Chicken thighs

• 4 chicken legs

• 2 C. dry red wine

• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

• 8 oz. slab bacon, cut into 1/2-inch dice

• 3 T. evoo, if needed

• 1 med onion, finely diced

• 8 cl. galic, thin sliced

• 10 white pearl onions, peeled

• 1/2 lb. small cremini mushrooms

• 3 T. AP flour

• 1 T. tomato paste

• 2 T. Cognac

• 1 chicken liver, coarsely chopped

• 2 bay leaves

• 5 sprigs fresh thyme

I used 4 thighs and no legs.  I used about half the bacon, half an onion, Snow oyster mushrooms instead of cremini, left out the pearl onions by oversight and the chicken liver because I wasn't sure how Charlie would like it. I know he doesn't like chicken liver by itself.  He said we should have it again.

Directions

1. Marinate chicken in bowl with wine to cover. Cover, marinate 8 hours. or     overnight in refrigerator 

2. Preheat oven to 325º,  pat chicken dry, salt and pepper.

3. Cook bacon in Dutch oven until crisp, about 20 minutes. Set aside, reserving fat.  Add more oil if less that 3 T. bacon fat in pan.

4. Brown chicken in Dutch oven  over med. high in batches, flipping until browned all sides…4 to 5 minutes.

5. Add onion and garlic, cook 4-5 minutes, Add garlic, cook 2 minutes, Add      pearl onions and mushrooms, cook 3-4 minutes.

6. Add flour & tomato paste, cook 2 minutes.  Add Cognac & cook, stirring 1 minute.

7. Return bacon and chicken to pot, pour in reserved wine, add chicken liver and herbs. Bring to a simmer.

8. Cover and bake until chicken cooked through and veggies are tender, 45 min. to an hour. Discard herbs and skim fat before serving.

Mashed Potatoes were red potatoes, cooked, mashed with salt, butter and half and half.

Garlic & Spinach

Ingredients

• 1 pound baby spinach
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds. You don't want the garlic browning too much.
• Add the baby spinach to the pan. It will be a big mound, and you can use your hands to pack it in. Use tongs or a spatula to carefully flip the spinach over, so that all of the pieces get covered in oil and garlic. 
• Cover the pan for a minute to let it steam, then stir again. Repeat this process until the spinach is wilted down, about 5 minutes later.
• Season with salt and pepper, then serve.