Coq au Vin
Some dishes are classics! They are classics because they are good and they have survived the tests of time. The dish does not have to be haute cuisine (classical French cuisine). It can be from the countryside. Such is the case with Coq au Vin. Coq au Vin in its simplest form is chicken, braised in red wine. Some versions use vin de table other vin de pays. Classically it is made with red wine from the burgundy region of France. Some versions include the use of cognac to flamb é ingredients. Some versions have pearl onions as a garnish. Regardless of the ingredients used, this dish exemplifies cooking of the countryside. The rooster got to be too old to perform his barnyard duties. In the spirit of food utilization, the old, tough rooster was braised to make it tender. Since this cooking of the countryside, the ingredients varied throughout the year to reflect what was available at the time. Braising is classified as a combination cooking method.