Several legends trace coq au vin to ancient Gaul and Julius Caesar, but the recipe was not documented until the early 20th century;[3] it is generally accepted that it existed as a rustic dish long before that.[2] A somewhat similar recipe, poulet au vin blanc, appeared in an 1864 cookbook.[4]
Although the word coq in French means "rooster" or "cock", and tough birds with much connective tissue benefit from braising, coq au vin may be made with any poultry,[7] most commonly chicken.
Standard recipes call for red wine (often Burgundy) for braising, lardons, button mushrooms, onions, often garlic, and sometimes brandy. Recipes with vin jaune may specify morels instead of white mushrooms. The preparation is similar in many respects to beef bourguignon. The chicken is seasoned, sometimes floured, seared in fat and slowly simmered in wine until tender.[8][9][10] The usual seasonings are salt, pepper, thyme, parsley, and bay leaf, usually in the form of a bouquet garni.[11] The juices are thickened either with a roux or by adding blood at the end.[12]
^Beck, Simone; Louisette Bertholle; Julia Child (2012) [1961]. Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume One. London: Particular. p. 277. ISBN978-0-241-95339-6.
