Coq Au Vin

In a large bowl season chicken with 2¼ teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, thyme and bay leaves. Add wine, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or, even better, overnight. Afterwards remove chicken and place on a plate. Reserve marinade.

In a large Dutch oven or a heavy-bottomed pot with a tightfitting lid, cook lardons over medium-low heat until fat has rendered, and lardons are golden and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer lardons to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving rendered fat in pot.

Heat lardon fat over medium heat until it’s just about to smoke. Add diced onion, carrot, half the mushrooms and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt to pot. Cook until vegetables are lightly browned, about 8 minutes, stirring up any brown bits from the pot, and adjusting heat if necessary to prevent burning.

Stir in garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, then stir in flour and cook for another minute. Remove from heat, push vegetables to one side of pot, pour brandy into empty side, and ignite with a match. (If you’re too nervous to ignite it, just cook brandy down for 1 minute.)

Once the flame dies down, add reserved marinade, bring to a boil, and reduce halfway, about 15 minutes. Skim off any large pockets of foam should they form on the surface.

Add chicken and half the cooked lardons to the pot. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour, turning halfway through. At this point stew can be cool and refrigerated until the next day to improve flavor. Then, uncover pot and simmer for 15 minutes to thicken. Taste and add salt and pepper, if necessary.

Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a nonstick or other large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pearl onions, a pinch of sugar and salt to taste. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes, shaking skillet often to move onions around.

Uncover, push onions to one side of skillet, add remaining mushrooms, and raise heat to medium-high. Continue to cook until browned, stirring mushrooms frequently, and gently tossing onions occasionally, 5 to 8 minutes.

To serve, add pearl onions, mushrooms and remaining half of the cooked lardons to the pot. Baste with wine sauce, sprinkle with parsley and serve, if desired, with good crusty bread and or mashed potatoes or yams.