ROOSTER

Not always available in stores, partly because of modern chicken breeding, but also due to low demand.

Keep in mind

This is not according to the rulebook, but you are not alone if you use an ordinary chicken when you cook Coq au vin. But a casserole actually made from rooster is something else. This animal wighs 3 to 4 kilos and has a deep, meaty taste.

How to cook rooster

Rooster and hen are suitable for the same sort of casseroles. All cuts on these grown birds are larger than on a chicken and therefore you must cook them until the meat falls of the bone. It should take about 2 hours. Reduce and use the tasty broth left in the pot. You should also make a tasty and useful broth from the bones you may have separated fromn the meat.

Use the same kind of wine – but not necessarily the same price tag – in the pot and in the glasses. A Pinot Noir from Burgundy or a Cote du Rhone is a good bet. Blue grapes, for example Shiraz/Syrah, will result in a less attractive color.

Avoid oaked wines (in all cooking). They tend to turn bitter after boiling. Excessive tannines (for example in a young Cabernet Sauvignon) can result in unwanted, sharp flavors.

The classic

Coq au vin with mushroom, shallots, smoked bacon and red wine. A spoonful of tomato paste will give you the color you are looking for.