Recipe: Coq au Riesling
The French classic coq au vin is made with red wine. If you want a fresher stew, go for coq au Riesling. It is a variation from Alsace, where Riesling flows abundantly. Authentic recipes often use a whole bird, but thighs are easier and just as delicious. Serve with good bread to mop up all the sauce.
How to make coq au Riesling
- Heat the ghee or oil in a heavy-based Dutch oven. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown all over over high heat. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Lower the heat. Add a little more cooking fat to the pan if necessary and fry the onion and bacon until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and fry for about 1 more minute, set the contents of the pan aside, but leave the fat in the pan. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
- Fry the mushrooms until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the flour, cook for a few minutes and return the fried ingredients to the pan. Deglaze with the wine and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Whisk the cream and egg yolk together. Add to the pan and simmer gently for about 10 more minutes. Sprinkle the parsley over everything and serve.
Tip: add the egg yolk to the dish at the very end to thicken the sauce. This creates a lighter sauce than one thickened with a roux. It is very important that the sauce does not boil, as the egg will then set.
Wine tip
Guess three times what we’re drinking with this! Riesling, of course! Riesling is a wine that pairs incredibly well with food in general, with all its diverse styles, from sparkling to bone-dry to absurdly sweet. This time, it is not only a wine to serve alongside the dish, but also a wine to add to it! Of course, you don’t necessarily have to use the same wine you drink in the dish—what a waste! You can also buy a simple Riesling for this (just make sure you don’t buy a sweet Riesling). The Ellermann-Spiegel Riesling Trocken is a delicious, fresh and juicy wine in a beautiful slender bottle. As befits a fine Riesling, this wine is also characterised by a high degree of freshness and delicate peach and citrus notes. What a delicious combination!
Read also:
- Which 7 French classics really belong in your culinary repertoire?
- French egg mayo has a Dutch ambassador
- Know before you go: 12 French dishes you might want to avoid
Image: Saskia Lelieveld
