Coq au vin (Julia Child's recipe)

Cook the thick-cut bacon with a couple tablespoons of oil until light brown, two to three minutes; remove the bacon and keep the fat.

Brown the chicken thighs and legs skin side down, then on both sides, until golden.

Pour in the brandy (or cognac), let it bubble, then light it and let the alcohol burn off.

Add a little dried thyme, a bay leaf and 20 pearl onions; lower the heat slightly, cover and cook 10 minutes.

Sprinkle flour over everything, turn the chicken to work it in so no white shows, cover and cook a couple of minutes.

Off the heat add two cups of red wine, a couple cloves of garlic, tomato paste, the bacon and two cups of chicken stock, until it almost covers.

Heat back on; simmer gently 25 to 30 minutes.

Check the chicken: legs and thighs at 175 to 185F are done; avoid going past 190. Remove the chicken and keep warm.

Return the sauce to a simmer, add quartered cremini mushrooms and simmer uncovered about seven or eight minutes to reduce and thicken; longer, or a little cornstarch, for thicker.

Turn off the heat and return the chicken to warm through in the sauce.

Serve over mashed potatoes with the bacon, mushrooms, onions and more sauce; top with a couple of thyme sprigs.