Coq au vin is a comforting French country stew of chicken and wine (originally rooster and wine). Many recipes exist but the most famous French version of Coq au Vin comes from Chef Paul Bocuse. Who was Paul Bocuse?Bocuse, who passed away January 20th 2018, was a culinary legend. He was part of the Michelin elite for his three-star Restaurant Bocuse, which has been open for over 50 years, and was the creator of the renowned culinary competition Bocuse d'Or. He was named Chef of the Century in 2011 by the Culinary Institute of America and was also the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from World's 50 Best Restaurants in 2005. History Various legends trace coq au vin to ancient Gaul and Julius Caesar, but the recipe was not documented until the early 20th century; it is generally accepted that it existed as a rustic dish long before that. Coq au vin got an elegant makeover when trendsetting French chef Paul Bocuse developed a new coq au vin recipe for his landmark restaurant in Lyon. Bocuse influenced chefs around the world to experiment with chicken in wine preparations. It was the legendary Julia Child who put coq au vin on the international food map when she cooked it on her television show in the 1960s. The dish became an instant classic. Paul Bocuse's Coq Au Vin RecipeIngredients 2 onions 4 carrots 1 whole chicken (around 3kg) 75cl Julienas wine (or any Beaujolais red) 150g bacon 250g button mushrooms 2 garlic cloves 60cl veal stock 3 tbsps flour 1 bouquet garni (a bundle of herbs, traditionally a few sprigs of parsley, thyme, and a bay leaf, tied together with kitchen string) A drizzle of olive oil Salt/pepper Preparation Step 1: Start by peeling and chopping the onions and carrots. Then quarter the chicken and place these ingredients in a large bowl. Add the bouquet garni and cover with the red wine. Leave this mixture to marinate for at least 12 hours in the fridge. Step 2: Remove the chicken and vegetables from the marinade. Keep all the ingredients - chicken, vegetables and marinade - separate. Brown the chicken in a casserole dish with a drizzle of olive, set aside. Step 3: Sauté the vegetables and garlic in the casserole dish then add the flour and stir. Add the chicken, marinade and veal stock. Season. Cover and leave to simmer for 2 hours. Step 4: In a frying pan, brown the chopped bacon. Clean and chop the mushrooms and add everything to the mixture 1 hour before the end of the cooking time. Step 5: Serve with fresh tagliatelle! As Chef Child or Chef Bocuse would say, the quality of chicken and wine determines the quality of this dish. This dish is only as good as the wine used to cook it. For extraordinary coq au vin, don’t skimp on the wine! SHOP BEAUJOLAIS WINES NOW