coq au vin

(image courtesy le creuset)

I love coq au vin. Talk about ultimate fall, comfort food! Mmm.

Last night, we whipped up a tasty stove top version from the always fantastic Mark Bittman.

Pulled from Bittman's divine 2009 cookbook Kitchen Express, this recipe creates a seriously delicious, flavorful dish in a small amount of time.

(image courtesy indie bound)

I must confess I'm a bit obsessed with this cookbook. Not only are all the seasonal recipes I've tried really tasty, but Bittman's directions are written in simplified, paragraph form that include meansurements like "a little bit," "a pinch," and "a drizzle."

The book also includes a chart of ingredient substitutions which I find really helpful and informative. Let's just say, I've given it as a gift to all the ladies in my life who love to cook.

Check out the tasty details on Bittman's dish below:

Coq au Vin

Classic French flavors.

Pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs) to half-inch thickness and season with salt and pepper. Sear on both sides in a bit of butter; set aside. Add two carrots chopped into one-inch pieces and half an onion cut into wedges; cook until the onion begins to soften. Add a cup of red wine, a bay leaf, a teaspoon of fresh tarragon, and a thyme sprig; deglaze the pan, return the chicken to the pan, and cover. Simmer for about six minutes until meat is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.