Title: Coq au vin (time life)
 Categories: Family/frie, French cook
      Yield: 1 Servings
 
      6 lb Chicken, preferably a cock
           -10 to 12 months; cut into
           -serving pie
           Salt and pepper
      1    Strips lean salt pork with
           -the rind removed; sliced
           -2/3 " thick
      2 tb Oil or butter
      3 md Carrots; cut into 1-2"
           -sectio
      3 md Onions; coarsely chopped
      2 tb Flour
    1/4 c  Brandy
      3 c  Dry red wine
      1    Bouquet garni
    1/2 lb Mushrooms
           Salt
           Pepper; freshly ground
     10 ts Butter
     25 sm Boiling onions; peeled
      6 sl White bread; crusts removed
      1    Clove garlic
           Fresh parsley; chopped
 
  Parboil the pieces of salt pork (rind removed, sliced 2/3" thick, cut
  in cubes)  for 2 minutes, drain and dry them in a towel.  Put them to
  fry over low heat in a large, heavy sauteuse or skillet with a bit of
  oil or butter. When the pieces are golden brown, remove them and put
  the aside.
  
  In the same cooking fat, place the carrots (cut into sections 1 to 2 "
  long) and chopped onions.  Keep the heat between medium and low, and
  allow them to cook, stirring regularly to avoid overbrowning, for 20
  to 30 minutes.  Remove the vegetables, put the aside and replace them
  with the chicken pieces, previously salted.  Cook the chicken over a
  somewhat higher heat until gently browned on all sides, sprinkle with
  flour and continue to cook, turning the pieces as necessary.  Return
  the sauteed onions and carrots to the pan.  When the flour has cooked
  for a few minutes, pour in the brandy, carefully set it alight and
  stir. When the flames have died, add the wine and raise the heat.
  Stir the chicken pieces and move them around until the liquid comes
  to a boil. At this point, if the skillet is already overfull of the
  chicken, or if perhaps you have had to use two skillets and both seem
  too full to permit adding the vegetables, keep the carrots and onions
  aside and add them later when the chicken goes into the oven dish.
  
  Transfer the chicken pieces and vegetables to an earthenware, copper
  or enameled cast-iron casserole with a lid.  Stir and scrape the
  first pan with a wooden spoon to loosen and dissolve the frying
  adherents, then pour the liquid over the chicken pieces.  If they are
  not completely covered, add enough wine, water or good stock (water
  is better than indifferent stock) to barely, but entirely cover them.
   Add the bouquet garni (or simply sprinkle with thyme) and add the
  bay leaf and parsley springs untide). Put to cook, covered, in the
  oven, regulating the heat so that the sauce hardly simmers.  The
  length of cooking time depends on the birds age and "past" -- from 30
  to 45 minutes for a fryer that has never exercised to 1-1/2 hours for
  a 10-month old rooster, and an hour longer still for one that may be
  too old to have a fine flesh but will produce a marvelous sauce.
  
  Meanwhile, cook the boiling onions, seasoned, in the butter over very
  low heat, shaking the pan from time to time, for 20 to 30 minutes.
  Keep them covered and avoid brorwning them;  if the saucepan is not
  heavy enough, you may have to use a fireproof pad over the heat
  source. Remove the onions when they are done anduse the same pan to
  fry the mushrooms. Trim the mushroom stems and cut the caps into two
  or four pieces (if they are small, leave them whole).   Toss them in
  the butter over high heat for 2 or 3 minutes;  season with salt and
  freshly ground pepper.
  
  Transfe the chicken pieces and the carrots to a platter.  Pass the
  cooking liquid through a fine sieve into a saucepan, using a pestle
  to work the residue.  Discard the remains the the bouquet garni. In
  the saucepan, skim as much fat from the surface of the liquid as
  possible and bring it to a boil, then positiion the saucepan over the
  heat so as to permit its contents to simmer only on one side.
   Carefully skim off all fat and impurities as the surface over the
  next 30 minutes or so. If at this point, the sauce is still too thin,
  turn up the heat to create a fast boil, stirring constantly until you
  achieve the right consistency.
  
  Put the chicken pieces and the carrots back in the oven dish,
  distribute the garnish (sauteed mushrooms, glazed boiling onions, and
  fried pork sections) on top and pour over the sauce.  Cover and
  return to the oven to simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes. Brown the
  triangles of bread (crusts removed, each slice cut diagonally) in
  butter over low heat until golden and crisp. (They may be prepared
  ahead of time and rewarmed in the oven).
  
  To serve, place the chicken pieces more or less symmetrically on a
  large, warmed platter.  Rub the cruton triangles with the clove of
  garlic, dip a corner of each triangle in the sauce, then in the
  chopped parsey and arrange them around the edge of the platter,
  parslied tips pointing out. Pour sauce and garnish over the chicken
  and sprinkle with a bit of chopped parsley.  Serve with steamed
  potatoes.