Scott’s Delightful Coq au Vin with Homegrown Shallots

Hi, it's Scott here with this week's recipe. This year, for the first time, I’ve grown shallots in my garden. The main reason I grow my own vegetables is for flavour and freshness. The difference between shop-bought and homegrown produce is obvious, especially with items like tomatoes, peas, and sweetcorn. However, I always thought the difference would be less noticeable with things like shallots. I’m happy to admit I was proven very wrong. After testing one of my homegrown shallots by simply roasting it, the difference was night and day. My homegrown shallots were so much sweeter and had a much deeper flavour. They literally melted on the tongue.

I just wish I had grown more, and I definitely will next year. With the small amount I had, I wanted to create a dish where I could truly appreciate them. So, I decided to use them in this week’s recipe: Coq au Vin with white wine instead of red. I believe using white wine instead of red creates a fresher, lighter dish better suited for the warmer months. For me, the shallots were the star of this dish. They were so flavourful, melting in the mouth, and really elevated the dish in a way that shop-bought shallots just can’t.

So, let's head to the kitchen and see how it's made!

As usual, you can find this recipe and others on the veggrowerpodcast.co.uk and on my Instagram page, Seed to Table Plot 13.

Coq au Vin Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 5 chicken legs
  • 300g peeled whole shallots
  • 300g button mushrooms, kept whole or cut in half if large
  • 200g diced bacon lardons
  • 5 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
  • Sprig of fresh thyme
  • 175ml white wine
  • 500ml chicken stock
  • 200ml double cream

Method:

  1. Start by searing the chicken in a frying pan until lightly golden brown. Once browned, transfer the chicken to a casserole dish.
  2. In the same frying pan, add the bacon lardons and cook on a medium heat for a few minutes until they start to colour.
  3. Add the shallots and garlic, cooking for another couple of minutes until they begin to colour.
  4. Add the mushrooms and thyme, cooking for another couple of minutes.
  5. Pour in the white wine and reduce by half. Then, add the chicken stock followed by the double cream. Bring the mixture to a boil, seasoning with salt and pepper.
  6. Pour the mixture over the chicken in the casserole dish.
  7. Transfer the casserole dish to a preheated oven set at 180°C and cook uncovered for about 1 hour, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 74°C.
  8. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with freshly harvested allotment veggies.

And that’s the recipe done! I hope you enjoy making and tasting this delightful Coq au Vin. That’s it from me this week. See you next time!

The post Scott’s Delightful Coq au Vin with Homegrown Shallots appeared first on The Veg Grower Podcast.



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