For ➍1½ tbs garlic oil
100 g bacon, cubed
1 leek, finely sliced
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 fresh bay leaves
200 g oyster mushrooms, torn into strips
30 cl Riesling wine
salt & freshly ground black pepper
dash double cream*
2 tbs chopped fresh dill
Heat the oil in a large wide pan. Fry the bacon cubes until crisp.
Add the sliced leeks and fry for 1-2 m, until softened.
Add the chicken, bay leaves, mushrooms and wine. Season with salt (omit when using salted bacon) & freshly ground black pepper and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes. (Check after 20 m, to avoid overcooking the fowl). Stir in the double cream for the last few m.*
Sprinkle with dill.
Serve with buttered noodles and a glass of good Riesling.
*Optional.
Almost every wine region in France has cultivated its own sign-mark concoction of coq au vin. Mostly cooked with strong red wines, mushrooms, and roosters, they take a night to marinate, and at least another hour simmering away. This is a quick version, as is coq au vin recipe, with a Riesling white wine, from the Alsace region. Almost the same recipe can be found in Germany and Luxembourg. Meanwhile, Riesling is cultivated all over the world with differing balances between a little sharpness and spicy mineral taste. Try as dry as possible.
Read the chicken cooking tip.
