Chicken? Oui, Oui

I thought I would try to make something I have never made before, and it included two of my favorites-chicken and wine. I had seen Coc Au Vin on menus and never paid much attention, but I saw someone make it on the Food Network (who I can't remember) a few years ago, and I thought it looked pretty easy. I looked at a few of my cookbooks and came up with something. The hubby hated it. He doesn't like much wine, mostly Pink Truck which is around 8 bucks a bottle. I am not a wine snob at all so we drink that when we are home together. I like the sweeter wines and about the 'darkest' I go is a nice Pinot Noir. The recipes usually called for Merlot or Burgandy and since they were not in my wine rack, I used a red that was. Hmmm, didn't work so well. It was a lighter, sweeter red and probably didn't have enough body to it. It was much better the second day. I want to try it again with a deeper red and see how that works. I will post it, but I would suggest using the Merlot or Burgandy.

This is most closely adapted from the Better Homes and Garden cookbook. I left out the mushrooms as I don't like them, but I will put them in the recipe here.

Coc Au Vin
4 slices bacon, cut into pieces
4 to 5 pounds of chicken, it say cut up fryer, I used breasts as I had it in the fridge
2 TBSP flour
dash of salt and pepper
2 TBSP brandy
2 cups red wine, Merlot or burgandy
5 or 6 shallots, peeled and whole
5 or 6 cloves of garlic, cracked and peeled
1 cup whole mushrooms, small white
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 bay leaf (I used dried crushed as I was out of leaves)
1/2 tsp dried thyme, crushed
1 tsp Herbe de Provance
3 TBSP flour
3TBSP soft butter

In an 8 quart Dutch oven cook baon till crisp. Remove bacon, reserving 1/4 cup drippings. If necessary, add some oil or canola oil to make the 1/4 cup. Brown the chicken in stages over medium heat for 15 minutes, turning to brown all sides. Remove chicken; set aside. Stir 2 TBSP flour, the salt and pepper into remaining drippings in pan. Remove pan from flame or turn off flame and add wine and brandy. Return to heat and cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes more. Add spices. Return chicken to pot, along with shallots, garlic, mushrooms, carrots and bacon. Simmer, covered, for 40 minutes or till chicken is tender. Remove chicken and veggies to a platter and keep warm. Discard bay leaves. Stir the butter and flour together to make a paste, then using a wire whisk, stir into sauce in pan. Cook and stir for a minute or two so it is bubbly and the flour taste is cooked out. Serve chicken with sauce. This will serve 8 to 10.

I really need to get that new cameral purchase or only cook in daylight! I will have to edit the post tomorrow as I am on my daughter's part of the computer and she is downloading some stuff for school, so I can't open my pictures in her account.