Coq au vin

75g chopped bacon or lardons

175g sliced mushrooms

16 peeled button onions/shallots

10g butter

2 tablespoons vegetable (or light olive) oil

1 jointed roasting chicken (or 12 thighs)

4 tablespoons brandy

3 tablespoons plain flour

450ml red wine

150ml chicken stock (see recipe)

Bouquet garni (some parsley stalks, thyme, bay leaf, tied to a celery stick with string)

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Put a large casserole dish on the hob over a medium heat. Fry the bacon, onions and mushrooms in the oil and butter until lightly browned. Remove them from the casserole dish, to a bowl, leaving behind the oil and butter.

Fry the chicken until browned. Pour over the brandy and set light to it. When it goes out, remove the chicken to the bowl, again leaving the oil.

Add the flour to the casserole dish, and stir. If there’s not enough oil to moisten the flour, add a little more. Cook for 2minutes, stirring all the time. Add the wine and stock gradually, stirring while the gravy thickens. Add the herbs, and a good twist of salt and pepper. Return the veg and chicken to the casserole dish and stir. Cover tightly and cook in the oven for 1 hour.

Before serving, remove the bouquet garni. Great with mashed potato (the coq, not the bouquet garni).