Hmm, but what on earth is “Classic Coq au Vin”? Larousse Gastronomic dispatches it in one brief paragraph, Constance Spry doesn’t give it a mention and Hugh FW does it proud, of course. But I, as usual, return to my dog eared French Provincial Cooking held together with an elastic band ( I couldn’t bear a new copy…!). Elisabeth David reiterates fiercely once more that however, apparently, simple this classic is, to get the balance right is a real skill; sauce just the right consistency and chicken perfectly cooked. Maybe this is why it has fallen from grace for too long; just too many nasty stringy chickens in thick pink goo…. But, oh, how delicious it is if you can get the balance right.

Cut a chicken into four pieces. Warm some three quarters of a bottle of red wine in a saucepan together with a crushed garlic clove, a bay leaf and a pinch of dried herbs. Add a little really good chicken stock. In a heavy pan soften some peeled button onions in the fat which gently flows from some chopped streaky bacon. Add the chicken pieces, brown those gently too. Fill a ladle with brandy, set it alight and pour, flaming, over the chicken. Pour the wine and stock over the chicken as the brandy flames die down and simmer gently for about 40 minutes depending on the age of the chicken!. When you are confident the cooking is almost complete add button mushrooms and simmer a further five minutes. Carefully remove chicken, onions, mushrooms onto a large serving dish and keep warm. Thicken the sauce with buerre manie , a tablespoon of flour worked into a desert spoon of flour, then stir gently for a couple of minutes till the sauce is thick and shiny. Serve with salad and fried bread, oh so unfashionable, and oh, so wonderful!

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