CHICKEN CASSEROLE OR COQ AU VIN

Steps:

• Wash and peel all vegetables.
• Cut carrots and potatoes into large chunks.
• Cut large mushrooms into quarters.
• Wash chicken and cut into serving size pieces, cutting legs into thigh and drumstick pieces and breast in 4 pieces (or leave part of breast on each wing piece and leave rest of breast in 2 halves).
• Cut up bacon into small strips or cubes.
• Have casserole dish ready at the side of stove.
• Start by carefully frying bacon pieces in butter.
• Do not let pan get too hot so as not to burn the butter!
• With slotted spoon take out bacon pieces and place in casserole dish.
• Carefully, glaze the shallots and garlic cloves in same pan as bacon and remove them also into casserole dish.
• Brown mushroom pieces in same pan continually watching that it does not get too hot. Remove browned mushrooms to casserole dish.
• Brown chicken pieces a few at a time starting with skin side down. Then turn and brown otherside. Add more butter to pan as necessary to be able to brown all chicken. Do not salt yet as the bacon and butter are salty.
• When all meat is browned, arrange it in casserole with browned vegetables and raw carrots and potatoes.
• Stir in flour to butter and bacon grease.
• Add chicken broth and cooking wine and let simmer a minute.
• Add enough broth so that the mixture is a medium gravy consistancy.
• Now you can taste and add salt and pepper as desired. A bay leaf can be added as well if desired.
• Pour broth over meat and vegetables in casserole.
• Cover and cook in oven one hour or until meat is cooked through and vegetables are tender.