Ginette Mathiot is the author I Know How to Cook from Phaidon Press.
INGREDIENTS
(Serves 6)
- 3 tbs oil
- 90g butter
- 1.5kg capon or chicken pieces
- 30g onion, chopped
- 40g flour
- 50ml Cognac
- 500ml red Burgundy wine
- Salt and pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed or chopped
- 185g button mushrooms
- 100g button onions or shallots
- 100g smoked bacon, diced
- Potato straws to serve
METHOD
Prepare the day before serving. Heat the oil and 50g of the butter in a heavy-based pan, add the capon or chicken pieces and the onion and cook over a medium-high heat until browned. Sprinkle with the flour and continue to cook, stirring.
Remove from the heat, pour in the Cognac and simmer vigorously to evaporate the alcohol. Pour in the wine, season with salt and pepper and add the garlic. Cook for one hour. Allow to cool and store in the refrigerator until the next day.
The next day, reheat slowly over a low heat. Shortly before serving, divide the remaining butter between two frying pans. Add the mushrooms to one and the button onions or shallots and bacon to the other. Cook until the mushrooms are softened and the onions or shallots and bacon are browned.
Add the bacon, onions or shallots and mushrooms to the capon or chicken. Serve with potato straws.