A Virtual Trip to France- Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival

I’m thrilled to join the excitement over at Focused on the Magic, and contribute a “dish” for Deb’s Virtual Food & Wine Festival.  It’s been a mere 3 weeks since I grazed around the World Showcase,and I wish I could go back for more- now I can!!

At 10:00 am on September 30th (the first official day of the Festival), I headed to the World Showcase with friends, and landed where many folks start their World Showcase adventure- France.

  Though the clock read 10:45, I dove right in, pulled out my “passport”, and queued up.

Because it was the first hour of the first day, France did not have their stamp yet.  Pooh.

Hmmmmmm, what sounds good for breakfast?  I had just run 2 miles with Jeff Galloway at the Meet Up, Eat Up, and sampled the Quinoa Birchermuesli that Disney Chef Gary Jones had prepared, but I’ll confess, I was ready to dig my teeth into something substantial!  Below is my choice, and it was rich and decadent and delicieux.

                                                  Coq Au Vin Avec Gratin de Macaroni


Ingredients


Coq Au Vin
2 pounds skin-on chicken legs
1 bottle dry red wine
coarse salt, pepper
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 pound pearl onions
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon flour
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
3 sprigs fresh oregano
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 cup chicken stock

Gratin de Macaroni
3/4 pound elbow macaroni
3 cups whole milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup flour
pinch nutmeg
coarse salt, pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese
2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan

Serves 4


For coq au vin:

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
2. Place chicken pieces in a single layer in a large ceramic baking dish.  Pour wine over chicken.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours.
3. Drain wine from chicken, reserving wine.  Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper; set aside.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add pearl onions and cook, stirring often, until golden.  Remove from oil and set on a plate.
5. In the same pot over high heat, cook the mushrooms until golden brown.  Remove from pan and set aside with onions.
6. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter and remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pot over medium-high heat.  Evenly dust chicken with flour.  Add chicken legs to pot in one layer, working in batches if necessary.  Brown chicken on both sides.
7. Add garlic and reserved wine.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
8. Tie oregano, thyme and bay leaves together with a small piece of kitchen twine.  Add the herb bundle and chicken stock.
9. Cover pot and place on middle rack of oven.  Bake 1 1/2 hours.
10. Remove pot from oven.  Remove chicken and set aside on a plate.
11. Place pot over medium-high heat on stove top.  Simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes, or until sauce is thickened and reduced by 1/3.  Stir in mushrooms and onions.
12. Place chicken on a platter.  Remove herb bundle from the sauce, then pour sauce over chicken.