“Coq au vin” with cherry juice
There's something so comforting and grounding about simmered dishes as the air turns crisp in autumn.
Enter our twist on the French classic, Coq au Vin. Instead of rooster and wine, we're featuring tender chicken simmered in a sauce rich with the deep, tangy flavors of dark cherry juice. Often described as "wine-ish" in its flavor profile, dark cherry juice brings a robust, fruity depth that pairs beautifully with savory dishes, capturing the essence of the traditional wine in the recipe while adding a delightful new dimension.
So - Poulet au Jus de Cerise, Chicken in Cherry, or maybe Chicken in Cherry Sauce.
Ingredients:
Chicken pieces
Celeriac stalks
A bit of a carrot
Small onions or pearl onions
Leftover sausage (optional, but our kids love it) - or at least some bacon!
Herbs - Parsley, thyme works well - But so does oregano, rosemary..
Maybe some garlic?
Method:
Prep Your Ingredients: Clean your chicken pieces and slice your celeriac stalks and carrots into manageable pieces.
Brown the Chicken: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat some oil or butter. Add the chicken pieces and fry until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
Sauté the Vegetables: In the same pot, add your mushrooms, celeriac stalks, and carrots. Sauté until the vegetables begin to soften.
Deglaze with Cherry Juice: Here’s where the magic happens. Pour in enough dark morello cherry juice to almost cover the chicken and vegetables. The cherry juice, often dubbed as 'wine-ish' for its rich, deep flavor, acts as our stand-in for wine. It adds a fruity depth that we’re absolutely going for in this dish.
Simmer the Stew: Return the chicken pieces to the pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover and let it cook gently until the sauce turns from a vibrant red to a luscious, deep brown hue.
Prepare the Onions and Sausage: While the stew is simmering, halve your onions and lightly toast them in a separate pan. If using sausage, slice it and toss it in with the onions.
Combine and Serve: Stir the toasted onions and sausage into the stew. Mix well to meld the flavors.
Final Touches: Check for seasoning — perhaps a pinch of salt or a dash of pepper. Then serve hot, with crusty bread or over steamed rice.
Savor the Moment: Enjoy the heartwarming aromas and flavors, and the satisfaction of a meal that fills more than just your stomach.
Using dried mushrooms in these slow-cooked meals is a game-changer. They rehydrate to a wonderfully meaty texture and infuse the whole dish with that deep, earthy flavor that just screams ‘fall’. Plus, they’re a fantastic way to add richness without overwhelming the other flavors in the dish.