Home Lifestyles Food and Wine Cooking With Wine

Cooking With Wine

0

Oct. 21, 2007 — Wine has been a traditional part of French cooking as far back as the first French Cookbooks. The Romans used wine in some of their dishes. Wine was probably added to soups and stews as soon as the two entities were placed on the same table.
When wine is cooked with food, the alcohol burns off (evaporates), leaving only the flavor of the wine. It is for this reason, you should only cook with wines you would drink. Never cook with “cooking wine” as it is always inferior wine and has salt added. Food cooked with wine takes on the concentrated flavor of the wine, giving the dish a depth of flavor that is unequalled.
I give you below two classic wine recipes from my wife, Chantal. Enjoy!
Chicken Fricasse a la Francaise
1- 3 to 4 lb chicken; cut into 8 pieces
4 Tbsp Butter, and 4 Tbsp vegetable oil for the pan
1 Tbsp Flour
Salt & pepper
2 to 3 cloves of Garlic finely minced or crushed
1½ cup good French dry White Wine such as Petit Chablis
1 cup Chicken stock
2 Medium onions, chopped
2 Shallots; chopped
1 Bouquet garni (a few sprigs of fresh or dried thyme, parsley, 1 bay leaf tied in a bunch)
10 or 15 sliced fresh mushrooms
2 Egg yolks
3 Tbsp Heavy cream
1 Tbsp Sweet butter
¼ cup chopped parsley

Heat 4 Tbsp Butter, and 4 Tbsp vegetable oil (such as canola) in the bottom of a high sided skillet large enough to hold all the chicken in one layer. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper, sauté them in the hot butter and oil. Cook over medium/high heat to brown on both sides. Add the onions and shallots, cook with the chicken until translucent. Sprinkle with the flour and mix into onions, shallots and chicken.
Add the wine and cook for about 5 minutes to evaporate the alcohol from the wine. Add the chicken stock. Liquid should just cover the chicken. Add the garlic, mushrooms and the Bouquet Garni. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the remaining liquid and set aside keeping it warm. Reduce the remaining liquid to about half over high heat. Turn off the heat, add the egg yolks, cream and butter, stirring until fully blended. Pour sauce over reserved chicken, garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with sautéed potatoes or rice. Serve with a great chilled French dry white wine.
Beef Bourguignon (Beef cooked in Burgundy wine)
2 to 3 pounds cubed beef cut into 1 ½ to 2 inch cubes (cross-rib roast works well)
2 to 3 medium onions coarsely chopped
2 to 3 cloves (or more) crushed garlic
2 or 3 slices thick cut bacon (or pancetta for a less smoky taste) cut into small slices
Enough good red burgundy wine to cover (1/2 to1 full bottle)
1 ½ tbsp flour
1 ½ to 2 cups low sodium beef broth
2 or 3 large thyme sprigs
2 large sprigs of parsley
3 bay leaves
Salt & pepper to taste

On top of the stove in a heavy Dutch Oven pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon, set aside to drain. Remove most of the bacon fat, leaving enough to cover the bottom of the pot, turn up the heat, and add the beef in small batches so they will brown in one layer, turn to brown all sides.
Remove and set aside when browned. Add the onions and cook till translucent, add the garlic.
Put the browned beef back in the pot with the onions and garlic, sprinkle with the flour. Stir around for a few minutes until all the flour is absorbed by the meat and onions. Add the red Burgundy wine, stirring. Turn up the heat so wine starts evaporating. When reduced by about a third, stir in the beef broth, add the herbs.
Cook covered on low heat for 1 ½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally (taste the meat to make sure it is cooked to your tenderness liking). Correct the seasoning. Remove the cover and cook over medium heat about 15 minutes more to thicken the sauce if necessary.
If you can, do this the day before and reheat for a sumptuous meal the next day. Warm up slowly on the stove top, covered. Serve with broad pasta or steamed quartered potatoes.
Serve with the same great French Burgundy wine you cooked with for a perfect pairing!

I would love to hear back from my readers with comments or questions. Please email me at: [email protected] or check out our website.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here