Coq au Vin

Before starting go to the recipes for Brown-Braised Onions and Sauteed Mushrooms and prepare them. Remove the rind from the bacon and cut it into lardons (rectangles 1/4" across and 1" long). Simmer for 10 minutes in 2 quarts of water. Rinse in cold water and dry. In a heavy, large casserole melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and saute the bacon until it is very lightly browned. Remove to a side dish. Dry the chicken thoroughly. Brown the chicken in the hot butter in the casserole. Season the chicken with the 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper. Return the bacon to the pan with the chicken. Cover and cook slowly for 10 minutes, turning the chicken once. Uncover and pour in the cognac. Averting your face, ignite the cognac with a lighted match. Shake the casserole back and fourth for several seconds until the flames subside. Pour the wine (use a Burgundy or Cotes du Rhone) into the casserole. Add just enough stock to cover the chicken. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, thyme and the bay leaf. Bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer slowly for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and its juices run a clear yellow when the meat is pricked with a fork. Remove the chicken to a side dish. Simmer the chicken cooking liquid in the casserole for a minute or two, skimming off the fat. Raise the heat and boil rapidly, reducing the liquid to about 2 and 1/4 cups. Correct seasonings with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Blend the 3 tablespoons of butter and the flour together into a smooth paste. Beat the paste into the hot liquid with a wire whip. Bring to a simmer, stirring, and simmer for a minute or two. The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. Arrange the chicken in the casserole, place the mushrooms and onions around it, and baste with the sauce. If the dish is not to be served immediately, film the top of the sauce with stock or dot with small pieces of bitter. Set aside uncovered. It can now wait indefinitely. Shortly before serving, bring to a simmer, basting the chicken with the sauce. Cover and simmer slowly for 4 to 5 minutes, until the chicken is heated through. Serve from the casserole or arrange on a hot platter. Decorate with sprigs of parsley. The French always serve this with parsley boiled potatoes. Gramie always served it with rice. Serves 4 to 6 people.