Coq au Vin

Cut the bacon into small strips (lardons). Melt it in a heavy, thick-bottomed pot over medium heat and fry until crisp, 5–7 minutes. Transfer to a plate, leaving the fat in the pot.

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towel, season with salt and pepper. Sear them skin-side down in the bacon fat until golden, 4–5 minutes per side, then transfer to the plate with the bacon.

In the same pot, sauté the onion and carrot for 5 minutes until softened, add the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.

Pour in the brandy, tilt the pot away from the heat and carefully flambé to burn off the alcohol; once the flames die down, scrape up the browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Add the red wine, thyme and bay leaf, bring to a boil and skim off the foam.

Return the chicken and bacon to the sauce, cover with a lid and simmer gently (or braise in an oven preheated to 160°C) for 45–50 minutes, until the chicken is tender.

Meanwhile, melt half the butter in a skillet and sauté the pearl onions for 8–10 minutes until caramelized, then add the mushrooms and cook for another 5–6 minutes until golden.

Remove the chicken from the sauce. Mash the remaining butter with the flour into a smooth paste and whisk it into the simmering sauce in small pieces, cooking for 3–5 minutes until thickened.

Return the chicken to the sauce, add the sautéed mushrooms and pearl onions, and heat everything together for 5 minutes; adjust the salt and black pepper. Serve hot, sprinkled with chopped parsley.