Coq au vin (Julia Child)

Remove the rind from the slab bacon and cut into quarter inch wide, inch long lardon.

Parboil the bacon, simmering it 10 minutes, then drain and rinse with cold water.

Cut the chicken into about eight pieces, leaving the skin on.

Melt two tablespoons butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat and saute the bacon until very lightly browned, then remove it.

Pat the chicken dry and brown it on each side in the fat, about 10 minutes.

Season with half a teaspoon of salt and cracked black pepper.

Return the bacon, cover and cook 10 minutes, turning the chicken once halfway.

Uncover, pour in a quarter cup of cognac and flambe.

Add half a tablespoon of tomato paste and two cups of beef stock.

Add three cups of red wine, enough that the chicken is just covered.

Add two mashed garlic cloves, a quarter teaspoon of thyme and the bay leaves; simmer slowly with the lid on 25 to 30 minutes.

Blanch the pearl onions in boiling water one to two minutes, then cut off the tip and root and slip off the skins.

Tie four sprigs of parsley, a sprig of thyme and a bay leaf into an herb bouquet.

Heat half a tablespoon each butter and oil in a skillet and add the onions once bubbling.

Saute the onions 10 minutes, keeping them rolling, without breaking their skin; they will not brown uniformly.

Add the herb bouquet, half a cup of beef stock, a little salt and pepper, and a splash of white wine.

Cover and simmer slowly 40 to 50 minutes.

Quarter half a pound of cleaned mushrooms.

Heat two tablespoons butter and one tablespoon oil until the foam subsides, add the mushrooms and cook until lightly browned, then remove from the heat.

After about 30 minutes total, remove the lid and skim off some of the fat, keeping some.

Remove the chicken and the bay leaves and season to taste.

Raise the heat and boil rapidly until the liquid has reduced to two and a half cups.

Beat three tablespoons all-purpose flour with two tablespoons softened butter into a beurre manie.

Whisk the beurre manie into the sauce with no clumps and simmer a few minutes until it coats the back of a spoon, then turn off the heat.

Return the chicken to the Dutch oven, add the mushrooms and the onions, leaving the herb bouquet, baste the liquid over everything and sprinkle with chopped parsley.