Wedding dinner

I was lucky enough to be asked to help cook for our neighbors' son's wedding last Friday. With the bride's recipe in hand, my mother-in-law and I spent the afternoon making coq au vin. Because neither of us had made this before, we were on our best cooking behavior! The tricky part was making such a large quantity and deciding how to divide it up since my kitchen (specifically the stove top) does not accommodate enormous cookware. 

I had a blast! After delivering the food, we took our stations in their kitchen to prepare salad, serve, etc., until the evening was over (the dinner menu also included strawberry and balsamic salad, roasted asparagus, and icebox butterhorns). The wedding took place in their house and the bride was gorgeous. She did all of the decorating and made her cake, not to mention all of the other wedding details she planned. I wish I had had my camera with me so you could see her amazing dress, so simple and elegant. I know, what kind of a boring blog is this with no photos! Who doesn't love photos of a beautiful bride as well as wonderful food?

It was a very fun evening and a much needed break from the routine.

While we were cooking I searched other recipes and photos to make sure it was turning out correctly.  People said they liked it and some requested the recipe. Here is the recipe we used:

Coq au vin
32 servings (someone else made another 32 servings)

32 Bone-in chicken thighs (skinned)
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
2 c. flour
Dredge thighs in a mixture of flour, salt, and pepper until well coated.

1/2 c. olive oil
Heat; add chicken and brown. When brown pour off all oil except 1 T. Set aside chicken.

4 onions, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
16 c. baby carrots
16 c. mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
Add onions, mushrooms and carrots to pan and saute for 3 minutes

1/2 c. Tomato paste
5 T Garlic, minced
Add garlic and tomato paste and saute for 2 minutes

6 c. red wine (cabernet sauvignon)
Deglaze pan with wine and reduce for 3 minutes

6 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. fresh thyme, chopped
Add chicken broth and thyme to pan along with chicken. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat and simmer 20-40 minutes or until chicken is tender.

6 T butter
Kosher salt and pepper
Add butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Note if sauce still needs more flavor at the end of cooking, add undiluted chicken base and mix into the sauce to taste. Can also thicken sauce with cornstarch if needed.