NEW ORLEANS —
Coq au Vin Blanc
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin on
4 strips thick cut bacon, thinly sliced
8 oz. pearl onions, peeled or shallots, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
8 oz. baby Portabella or button mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 tsp. fresh thyme
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
2 Tbsp. butter
Fresh thyme sprigs for garnish
fFnely chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Pat chicken thighs dry and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Cook bacon lardons until crisp and fat has rendered in a large Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Transfer lardons to paper towel lined plate with slotted spoon.
Place a single layer of chicken thighs, skin-side down into hot bacon fat. Cook until skin has browned, then turn to brown other side.
Transfer to platter and repeat with remaining chicken thighs.
Add pearl onions or shallots, onion, and garlic to pot; cook and stir until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and thyme; cook and stir 5 minutes more. Stir in white wine and stock; bring to boil. Add chicken skin-side up and any accumulated juices along with lardons to pot; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter.
Increase to medium-high heat and bring sauce to boil; cook 8 to 10 minutes more until sauce thickens. Stir in butter and season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce heat and return chicken to pot; simmer until heated through, spooning some of the sauce over the top. Serve from Dutch oven or arrange on deep platter. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs and parsley.
Mashed Potatoes
4 pounds potatoes Yukon gold
3 garlic cloves
⅓ cup salted butter, melted
1 cup milk or cream
kosher salt and pepper to taste
Peel and quarter potatoes, place in a pot of cold salted water.
Add cloves of garlic and bring to a boil, cook uncovered 15 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain well.
Heat milk or cream until warm.
Add butter to the potatoes and begin mashing. Pour in heated milk or cream a little at a time while using a potato masher to reach desired consistency.
Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.