Coq au vin with orecchiette

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 chicken Marylands
• 1 large carrot, cut into 1 cm dice
• 2 celery stalks, cut into 1 cm dice
• 1 brown onion, cut 1 cm dice
• 100 g small swiss brown or button mushrooms
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 head garlic, halved through the equator
• 100 g smoked speck, cut into 1 cm dice
• 1.5 litres Beaujolais, or other dry, medium bodied red wine
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 250 g orecchiette
• 12 baby carrots, trimmed and peeled
• chopped parsley, to serve

Instructions

1. Preheat a fan forced oven to 160˚C.
2. Place a heavy-based pot with a tight fitting lid over high heat. Add the olive oil and when hot, add the chicken, skin-side down and cook until the skin is golden. Turn, then add the carrot, celery, onion, mushrooms, thyme, bay leaf, garlic and speck. Pour in the red wine and season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then cover, transfer to the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until the chicken is almost tender.
3. Remove the lid, add the orecchiette and baby carrots, place the lid back on top and cook for another 30 minutes or until the pasta and carrots are tender. Squeeze the garlic out of the skins and discard the skins along with the thyme and bay leaf. Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary.
4. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

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