Coq au Vin with Roast Vegetables

This is definitely a winning combination. The golden roasted butternut goes perfectly with the soft goats cheese and pine nuts. The chicken is perfectly succulent and tender. The vibrant colours of the vegetables mixed with the stained red wine chicken marry perfectly together and create a delicious winter meal.

Coq au Vin

700g of spring onions/ 2 medium brown onions

50 ml olive oil

4 rindless bacon slices (roughly chopped)

300g button mushrooms

2 garlic cloved, crushed

8 chicken thigh fillets

¼ cup plain flour

350ml dry red wine

1 cup chicken stock

¼ cup tomato paste

3 bay leaves

 4 sprigs of thyme

2 sprigs of rosemary

1.     Dice onions (unless you are using spring onions). Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the pan, cook onions until just brown, keep stirring to prevent any burning.

2.     To the same pan add bacon, mushrooms (whole) and garlic. Cook until bacon is crisp and fully cooked.  Remove from the pan and set aside.

3.     Coat the chicken lightly in flour and shake off and excess. Place all the pieces in the pan over medium heat. Turn until all the sides have browned slightly.

4.     Once nearly cooked add red wine, chicken stock, tomato paste, onion and bacon mixture, and herbs. Gently stir to allow the flavours to blend. Bring to the boil, then allow the pot to simmer gently for around 35-40 minutes or until chicken is perfectly tender. Season to taste.

This is a great meal for entertaining guests, it easily serves large numbers and needs minimal preparation, and you can leave it simmering as your guests arrive so you are free to entertain. It also fills the house with an amazing rich aroma that is bound to get their mouths watering.

Roast Vegetables

1 whole butternut/ pumpkin (1kg)

1 punnet of cherry tomatoes

1 red onion

3 potatoes (one per person or as desired)

½ cup of pitted kalamata olives

100g goats cheese (or feta if you prefer

406 pine nuts (unroasted)

6 whole garlic cloves

Fresh rosemary, thyme

¼ cup olive oil

1.     Rinse butternut under running water to remove any dirt. Cut the butternut into 2 cm thick discs or fair sized chucks, leaving the skin on. Cut potatoes into quarters. Place the potatoes and butternut into a steamer and leave to steam for 20 minutes or until softened but not completely cooked. If you are using a microwave they will only need 10 minutes.

2.     While they are cooking roughly chop the onion and the ends off the garlic. Leave the olives whole as well as the cherry tomatoes.

3.     Once they are done, place a sheet of baking paper onto a large oven tray. Scatter the onions and cherry tomatoes on the tray; then place the butternut and potato over them. Crumble small chunks of goats’ cheese onto the discs of butternut. Scatter the olives, garlic and pine nuts throughout. Drizzle olive oil over the top and disperse the fresh herbs. Season generously.

4.     Place into a hot oven 180C for around 2 hours until everything has turned golden brow. 

 These vegetables work well with any dish. The creamy rich goats cheese mixed with pungent pine nuts takes roasted vegetables to a whole new level. The sweet cherry tomatoes and dark olives add a variety of flavours and textures. The flavours explode in your mouth.