Rooster in Wine, or Gallo al Vino: If you translate this into the French Coque au Vin you won't be far amiss. The recipe is from the Italian side of Monte Bianco, and is a feast-day dish. Ideally it should be made with a rooster from the barnyard, though you may not be able to find one. Use free-range chicken if need be. To serve 4.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 90 minutes
Ingredients:
- A rooster weighing about 3 pounds (1.5 k), dressed and chopped into pieces
- An onion stuck with 2 cloves
- A clove of garlic
- A sprig of rosemary
- A sprig of thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- A little flour
- 2 cups dry red wine, heated
- Beef broth
- A small piece of cured lard and a walnut-sized chunk of butter
- Salt
Preparation:
Melt the butter in a pot together with the lard (use just butter if you cannot find cured lard, or use ground prosciutto fat). When the meat is well browned, salt it, dust it with flour, and add the wine, which should be heated first.. Add hot broth to cover, the stuck onion, and the herbs, tied together op places in a small muslin bag. Bring the liquid to a lively boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for a couple of hours, adding broth as needed. Serve with firm polenta.
Yield: 4-8 servings of Gallo al Vino, Coque au Vin.
Yield: 4-8 servings of Gallo al Vino, Coque au Vin.
