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Last week, Edward and I went to a neighborhood restaurant. We have always enjoyed the salads, appetizers and burgers served up in their casual atmosphere, but on this night, I wanted an entrée. The blackboard specials featured coq au vin and cioppino — two of my favorites. I have made both of these winter-warmers at home on numerous occasions.
Coq au vin is a classic French dish made with chicken pieces, pearl onions, bacon and red wine. Cioppino was created by Italian-American fishermen in San Francisco. It is a soup/stew always made with tomatoes, fish and shellfish. The broth is great for dipping bread.
I ordered the coq au vin. What I received was a greasy overcooked boneless breast of chicken swimming in red wine. Mashed potatoes were sitting on the chicken and in the sauce. Horrifying chunks of watery, gray zucchini were swimming next to the potatoes.
The manager came to our table. "This is not coq au vin," I said politely. "Does this look appetizing to you?" He nodded and said it is coq au vin and the chef is going to culinary school.
This mess is not taught in culinary school.
The manager removed it and brought me the cioppino.
"This is not cioppino," I said to Edward. "There are no tomatoes. There is no broth. And it reeks of lemon juice."
The chef, although I hesitate to give him that honor, simply steamed two shrimp, which tasted as if they were going to go rancid at any minute, three tiny dry mussels, two or three littleneck clams (one of which hadn’t opened and should never have been placed in the dish) and a few chunks of some kind of white fish. It was all placed on a big bed of rice.
There is no rice in cioppino.
What happens when a diner knows more than the chef? Despite the fact these dishes were not coq au vin or cioppino, they never should have been placed before me.
Last week a woman asked me to name some of the worst restaurants I have ever visited. This was a first. People usually ask me my favorite. (I do not have one.)
Diners should expect the best from a chef. Unfortunately, there are times when a gooey bunch of glop turns my face into a frown.
I would rather cook at home.
Coq Au Vin
Ingredients:
- 1 4-pound organic or kosher chicken, cut into 8 pieces, backbone removed
- 1/2 pound of bacon, cut into 1-inch strips
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 2 tablespoons of canola oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 pint of pearl onions, blanched in boiling water for 2 minutes, cooled and peeled
- 1 cup of chicken stock
- 1/2 bottle of dry red wine
- Fresh Italian parsley, chopped, for garnish
Directions:
- Wipe the chicken pieces dry with paper towels.
- In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove it with a slotted spoon. Pour off almost all of the fat from the skillet and add the butter and oil. Add the chicken pieces to the skillet a few at a time and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Saut� over medium-high until just browned, about three minutes on each side.
- Place the chicken in a four-quart heavy pot. Add the remaining ingredients, except the parsley, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 60 to 90 minutes, or until the chicken is very tender.
- Top the chicken with the bacon and parsley.
- Serves three to four.
Note from Phyllis: I like to serve coq au vin with boiled potatoes.
Cioppino
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup of olive oil
- 6 fat cloves of garlic, sliced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 fennel bulb, sliced
- 1 bottle of clam juice
- 1 cup of dry white wine
- 1 28-ounce can of plum tomatoes and their liquid, mushed with your hands
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon of dried oregano
- 1 dozen littleneck or topneck clams
- 1 pound of large shrimp, peeled
- 1 pound of scallops, preferably day boat
- 1 pound of red snapper, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 pound of striped bass, cut into 2-inch pieces
Directions:
- Heat the oil in a four-quart heavy pot. Stir in the garlic, onion and fennel. Saut� until the onion is translucent, about five minutes.
- Add the clam juice, wine, tomatoes, salt, pepper and oregano. Bring to a boil. Cover, lowering the heat and simmering for 30 minutes.
- Add the fish and shellfish. Cover the pot and return to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook for about eight to 10 minutes, or until the clams open.
- Serve in warm bowls with crusty bread.
- Serves four.
Note from Phyllis: Cioppino is often referred to as American bouillabaisse. You can use any kind of fish you like including lobster, mussels, salmon or grouper. The French serve this dish with rouille, a garlic mayonnaise.
