This weekend was a much needed and well-planned 'girls weekend' with four of my closest friends. Although two of the group have know each other since they were about three years old and grew up together, the four of us have only gotten to know each other over the past ten years. At one point we all lived in NYC, but now only two of us are here. We've been through many ups and downs, most recently the celebration of one friend's wedding. This weekend seemed to have more downs. I had my own. More seriously there is one friend with a very ill father and another with a father who is resisting the required changes to adapt his living situation. With all of these things, it was much needed time together. Saturday night I cooked coq au vin, an intensive dish that you prepare the night before. We had a lovely evening. Conversations continued through Sunday brunch to the point where we never headed out for shopping as we had planned. Life required some letting go and just being in the moment, even though the moments were difficult.
We had another friend join us for dinner who also has an ailing father. Our sixth dinner guest couldn't join us as she was with her family out in New Jersey. She lost her father about a year ago. We have all reached the age where our parents are getting older, some are sick and some are even dying. We are dealing with issues that, for most of us, are bigger than they were previously in life. While the topic may sound depressing, I do think a good meal can bring people together to connect and let go which can bring you closer. This weekend, over dinner and then Sunday brunch, everyone took time to let go and really talk about how difficult things are for them. This allowed us to also talk about how we could be there for each other going forward.
I was reminded of a song by Frou Frou, Imogen Heap's former band, called "Let Go." We were listening to this song on a mix that I was playing through dinner. One of my friends noticed it and commented. Heap has a delicate and breathy voice that is highlighted by the twinkly electronics here. This song is about jumping into life, even when you are breaking down. At a certain point in life you realize there's no reason to hold back whether it's a relationship, or just sharing how you feel with the people who really care about you.
It gains the more you give
And it rises with the fall
So hand me that remote
Can't you see that all that stuff's a sideshow
Such boundless pleasure
We've no time for later now
You can't await your own arrival
You've twenty seconds to comply
(So let go) so let go
Jump in
Oh well whatcha waiting for
It's all right
'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown
(So let go) yeah let go
Just get in
Oh it's so amazing here
It's all right
'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown
'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown
Coq au vin, which literally translates to 'rooster in wine,' is generally made with chicken and a robust red wine. It's a traditional, French country dish, where you throw everything in a pot to cook. So while it sounds elegant, it feels and tastes like comfort food. It's also wonderful when you have guests because you can leave it to cook in the oven while you hang out and talk with everyone. Coq au vin was a signature dish for Julia Child, but I found the recipe in The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook. The prep takes some time, but it's all done the night before. I served it with some haricot verts or french green beans, which are thinner and, I think, tastier than regular green beans. For dessert I made an attempt at chocolate fondue. Unfortunately, earlier in the day we couldn't find denatured alcohol needed for the fondue pot's burner, so we just melted some chocolate in a double boiler. Pretty much melted chocolate with anything is a perfect dessert.
The wonderful thing about a dish like coq au vin is that the portions are so large, you end up with leftovers. Tonight I put the remaining coq au vin in the oven and heated it up. It was comforting, like the good friends I had shared it with over the weekend.
Coq Au Vin from The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook (page 267)
Serves 8
Total time - prep 1 hour the day before (I could just be slow, others may not take as long) , then 2 hours cooking on day 2 (must refrigerate overnight)
10 slices bacon, diced
2 chickens 2.5-3 lbs each, quartered - or just get 5 or 6 lbs of chicken parts on the bone so you don't have to cut up a raw chicken
16 small (1 inch) white pearl onions, peeled
6 scallions, sliced (use green and white parts)
1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
1 lb mushrooms, wiped clean and quartered
3 Tbsp unbleached all purpose flour
3 cups of good red wine, suggest a strong Bordueaux
1 cup chicken stock
1 tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
16 small new potatoes
12 oz baby carrots, peeled
Chopped fresh parsley (garnish)
One day before serving, fry the bacon in a large Dutch oven until crisp.
Remove the bacon from the pan, drain on a paper town and save for later
Brown the chicken pieces in batches in the hot bacon fat
Set chicken aside
Add the onions, scallions, and garlic to the pan and saute over medium-high heat for 5 minutes
Add mushrooms and saute 5 minutes more
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook 1 minute
Slowly pour wine and chicken stock in, stirring constantly
Season with thyme and salt and pepper to taste
Heat to boiling
Remove from heat
Add the bacon, chicken, and potatoes and distribute evenly
Refrigerate overnight
The next day, let the coq au vin warm to room temperature before baking
Preheat oven to 350
Bake covered for 1 hour
After 1 hour add the carrots and stir to distrbute
Bake for 50 minutes
The chicken should be almost falling off the bone and the vegetables tender
Spoon onto large plates, make sure everyone gets chicken, potatoes, onions, and carrots
Sprinkle with fresh parsley
Sting Beans with Shallots from Barefoot Contessa Family Style (page 115)
Serves 6
Total time - about 20 minutes
1 lb French string beans (haricots verts), ends removed
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
2 Tbsp unslated butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 large shallots, diced
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
Blanch the beans - Steam or boil beans then immediately and immerse in cold water, so they stop cooking
Heat the butter and oil in a large saute pan (12") or large pot
Saute the shallots on medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, tossing occasionally until lightly browned
Drain beans and add to shallots with salt and pepper
Toss well
Heat only until beans are hot
I added a handful of pine nuts before putting the beans int he pan the beans so they would toast a bit. Not sure where I saw that before, but I love pine nuts with green beans.
Kyra's Chocolate But Not-Quite Fondue (for when your fondue pot attempt is a fail)
Have on hand anything that you would want to cover in chocolate, suggestions below.
Strawberries
Banana slices
Pound cake
Angel food cake
Dried fruit
Put chocolate chips, chocolate syrup and Nutella (hazelnut cream) in a bowl
Put the bowl in a pot that is half-full with water (make sure water won't come up over the bowl, ideally it should be floating and not touching the bottom)
Boil the water
Stir chocolate as it melts and add some milk or more chocolate sauce to help liquify if needed
Once chocolate is melted, just take the entire thing to the table in the pot of water (good freinds don't care what it looks like)
Use long fondue forks (regular forks or some sort of skewer will probably be fine)
Attach your selected item
Dip in chocolate
Enjoy!
We had another friend join us for dinner who also has an ailing father. Our sixth dinner guest couldn't join us as she was with her family out in New Jersey. She lost her father about a year ago. We have all reached the age where our parents are getting older, some are sick and some are even dying. We are dealing with issues that, for most of us, are bigger than they were previously in life. While the topic may sound depressing, I do think a good meal can bring people together to connect and let go which can bring you closer. This weekend, over dinner and then Sunday brunch, everyone took time to let go and really talk about how difficult things are for them. This allowed us to also talk about how we could be there for each other going forward.
I was reminded of a song by Frou Frou, Imogen Heap's former band, called "Let Go." We were listening to this song on a mix that I was playing through dinner. One of my friends noticed it and commented. Heap has a delicate and breathy voice that is highlighted by the twinkly electronics here. This song is about jumping into life, even when you are breaking down. At a certain point in life you realize there's no reason to hold back whether it's a relationship, or just sharing how you feel with the people who really care about you.
It gains the more you give
And it rises with the fall
So hand me that remote
Can't you see that all that stuff's a sideshow
Such boundless pleasure
We've no time for later now
You can't await your own arrival
You've twenty seconds to comply
(So let go) so let go
Jump in
Oh well whatcha waiting for
It's all right
'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown
(So let go) yeah let go
Just get in
Oh it's so amazing here
It's all right
'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown
'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown
Coq au vin, which literally translates to 'rooster in wine,' is generally made with chicken and a robust red wine. It's a traditional, French country dish, where you throw everything in a pot to cook. So while it sounds elegant, it feels and tastes like comfort food. It's also wonderful when you have guests because you can leave it to cook in the oven while you hang out and talk with everyone. Coq au vin was a signature dish for Julia Child, but I found the recipe in The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook. The prep takes some time, but it's all done the night before. I served it with some haricot verts or french green beans, which are thinner and, I think, tastier than regular green beans. For dessert I made an attempt at chocolate fondue. Unfortunately, earlier in the day we couldn't find denatured alcohol needed for the fondue pot's burner, so we just melted some chocolate in a double boiler. Pretty much melted chocolate with anything is a perfect dessert.
The wonderful thing about a dish like coq au vin is that the portions are so large, you end up with leftovers. Tonight I put the remaining coq au vin in the oven and heated it up. It was comforting, like the good friends I had shared it with over the weekend.
Coq Au Vin from The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook (page 267)
Serves 8
Total time - prep 1 hour the day before (I could just be slow, others may not take as long) , then 2 hours cooking on day 2 (must refrigerate overnight)
10 slices bacon, diced
2 chickens 2.5-3 lbs each, quartered - or just get 5 or 6 lbs of chicken parts on the bone so you don't have to cut up a raw chicken
16 small (1 inch) white pearl onions, peeled
6 scallions, sliced (use green and white parts)
1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
1 lb mushrooms, wiped clean and quartered
3 Tbsp unbleached all purpose flour
3 cups of good red wine, suggest a strong Bordueaux
1 cup chicken stock
1 tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
16 small new potatoes
12 oz baby carrots, peeled
Chopped fresh parsley (garnish)
One day before serving, fry the bacon in a large Dutch oven until crisp.
Remove the bacon from the pan, drain on a paper town and save for later
Brown the chicken pieces in batches in the hot bacon fat
Set chicken aside
Add the onions, scallions, and garlic to the pan and saute over medium-high heat for 5 minutes
Add mushrooms and saute 5 minutes more
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook 1 minute
Slowly pour wine and chicken stock in, stirring constantly
Season with thyme and salt and pepper to taste
Heat to boiling
Remove from heat
Add the bacon, chicken, and potatoes and distribute evenly
Refrigerate overnight
The next day, let the coq au vin warm to room temperature before baking
Preheat oven to 350
Bake covered for 1 hour
After 1 hour add the carrots and stir to distrbute
Bake for 50 minutes
The chicken should be almost falling off the bone and the vegetables tender
Spoon onto large plates, make sure everyone gets chicken, potatoes, onions, and carrots
Sprinkle with fresh parsley
Sting Beans with Shallots from Barefoot Contessa Family Style (page 115)
Serves 6
Total time - about 20 minutes
1 lb French string beans (haricots verts), ends removed
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
2 Tbsp unslated butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 large shallots, diced
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
Blanch the beans - Steam or boil beans then immediately and immerse in cold water, so they stop cooking
Heat the butter and oil in a large saute pan (12") or large pot
Saute the shallots on medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, tossing occasionally until lightly browned
Drain beans and add to shallots with salt and pepper
Toss well
Heat only until beans are hot
I added a handful of pine nuts before putting the beans int he pan the beans so they would toast a bit. Not sure where I saw that before, but I love pine nuts with green beans.
Kyra's Chocolate But Not-Quite Fondue (for when your fondue pot attempt is a fail)
Have on hand anything that you would want to cover in chocolate, suggestions below.
Strawberries
Banana slices
Pound cake
Angel food cake
Dried fruit
Put chocolate chips, chocolate syrup and Nutella (hazelnut cream) in a bowl
Put the bowl in a pot that is half-full with water (make sure water won't come up over the bowl, ideally it should be floating and not touching the bottom)
Boil the water
Stir chocolate as it melts and add some milk or more chocolate sauce to help liquify if needed
Once chocolate is melted, just take the entire thing to the table in the pot of water (good freinds don't care what it looks like)
Use long fondue forks (regular forks or some sort of skewer will probably be fine)
Attach your selected item
Dip in chocolate
Enjoy!
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