Delights in the Kitchen and Disasters in the Bar

The past few weeks have been wicked crazy and I can't believe I haven't posted.  I've have had some amazing food though...and a couple accidents too. 

A few weeks ago, my best friend's mother had a birthday. We celebrated with coq au vin. Anita slaved away in the kitchen for hours as her mother and I drank wine and talked obnoxiously over classic movies. I'm quite certain we didn't actually watch any of the movies that we popped into the DVD player.  After what seemed like an eternity, dinner was ready and it was amazing. Deliciously wine soaked chicken with those yummy delectable cocktail onions. Ohhhhhh delight. so, success and delish.

On to the disaster. I've spent the pat week with my friend Courtney. One afternoon, she texts me with "oh my gosh! I just found a recipe on Pinterest for candy corn martinis!!!" See, court loves candy corn and this seemed like a great idea. Sadly, she's not a big fan of alcohol and certainly not a martini glass full of vodka. Still we thought, let's do it. So, Courtney fills plastic containers with grey goose and candy, and the infusing process begins. A few hours later we mix the infused vodka with the other ingredients and take photos of our delectable looking treat. Oh, it was pretty; which, is probably a big reason our hearts were so broken once we took the first sip. It literally tasted just like vodka....no candy corn.  After hours of infusing, not even A hint of candy corn. It is a pretty drink so feel fee to try at your own risk. Don't say that I didn't warn you.  Recipes below.

Coq Au Vin

(Ina Garten)

Ingredients

• 4 ounces good bacon or pancetta, diced
• 1 (3 to 4-pound) chicken, cut in 8ths
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound carrots, cut diagonally in 1-inch pieces
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup Cognac or good brandy
• 1/2 bottle (375 ml) good dry red wine such as Burgundy
• 1 cup good chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 10 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 pound frozen small whole onions
• 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, stems removed and thickly sliced

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon.

Meanwhile, lay the chicken out on paper towels and pat dry. Liberally sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. When the bacon is removed, brown the chicken pieces in batches in a single layer for about 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Remove the chicken to the plate with the bacon and continue to brown until all the chicken is done. Set aside.

Add the carrots, onions, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to the pan and cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac and put the bacon, chicken, and any juices that collected on the plate into the pot. Add the wine, chicken stock, and thyme and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just not pink. Remove from the oven and place on top of the stove.

Mash 1 tablespoon of butter and the flour together and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. In a medium saute pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and cook the mushrooms over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until browned. Add to the stew. Bring the stew to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes. Season to taste. Serve hot.

Candy Corn Martini

Ingredients

For the infused vodka:

• 1/2 cup candy corn
• 1 1/2 cups vodka

For the cordials:

• 2 ounces orange liqueur
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 large egg white
• Candy corn, for garnish

Directions

Infuse the vodka: Combine the candy corn and vodka in an airtight container; set aside for at least 3 hours, then strain.

Make the cordials: Add 4 ounces of the candy corn vodka, the orange liqueur, lemon juice and egg white to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds. Strain into 2 chilled martiniglasses and garnish with candy corn.