Many classic recipes were the product of necessity and in many poor countries the staple diet is rice and beans. It just doesn’t get more affordable than dried beans and rice, slowly cooked with what every leftover you might have. Ribs are another good example, the rich folks wouldn’t eat them, but the poor folks found a way to make them delicious, same with pigs feet and hog jowl. Gumbo and jambalaya fall into the same category, local ingredients that can be readily found at hand, and a great flexibility in the combination of vegetables and protein (or a lack of!) that you use.
The classic French recipe, coq au vin, just may be one of the best examples of necessity driven food. Coq au vin is made from that old male chicken who is no longer doing his duty and is too tough to cook in any other way. Of course, you would be hard pressed to find a bird that fit this category in a modern grocery store, but a whole hen will do just nicely, not cut into the regular six or seven pieces, but simply cut in half.
The basic recipe is to brown the chicken in butter (remember the chef’s rule, butter to brown, oil to cook!), then slowly braise it in red wine, with a little brandy, bits of bacon, mushrooms and pearl onions. Remember to never cook with a wine that you would not drink. In my kitchen it is customary for the cook to enjoy a small glass or two of wine as the meal is put together (there’s always a little bit left over in the bottle, and it would be a shame to let it go to waste, especially if it is a good pinot noir!).
Bay leaf and thyme are the basic herbs for this recipe. Bay is pretty sturdy and can be added at the beginning, but the thyme will fall apart into nothingness if added too early and will lose much of its wonderful aroma.
As with any recipe, don’t rush the process, and take your time (thus the glass of wine). All those wonderful flavors take time to develop. The quality of ingredients and technique make a huge difference too. Fresh ground black pepper is always better and use the best quality butter you can find (never margarine!).
Mashed potatoes would go well with this dish, but I would go with Original Grit Girl grits, poured into cupcake molds when done (it presents so much nicer than just a plop of grits on the plate).
Make sure to make plenty of sauce, your guests will be disappointed if the sauce is gone before the chicken is eaten, it’s a delicate balance!
