With the days getting shorter, and summer holidays feeling like a distant memory, November can seem a little gloomy. On the plus side, it is a great time for seasonal, vegetables with cabbages of all sorts, turnips, parsnips, and pumpkins all appearing in abundance. Pears are at their best too and chutneys will be bubbling away in many kitchens. Now is the time to squirrel away lots of little things for Christmas just to give yourself a bit of a head start. The more you can do now, the more you can relax and enjoy yourself in December. Mincemeat for your mince pies and gifts can be made now. Every time you roast a chicken put the fat in a jar. It makes better roast potatoes than duck or goose fat in my opinion! Freeze any leftover roasting juices to add to your gravy. I love braised red cabbage on Christmas day and will be making mine at the weekend… into the freezer it goes!

What to cook to cheer us up now? Coq au vin. Traditionally made with older birds, which can be tough, it used to require marinating overnight. I find that this dries out the finished dish, however, so I leave this stage out. An easy casserole of chicken with red wine, bacon and mushrooms is the order of the day. Rich, comforting and delicious and perfect for a chilly November night, made all the better by having a good glass of Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso 2021 by Borgo Conventi alongside.

Ingredients (serves 4)

8 x chicken thighs (skin on, bone in)

120g pancetta or smoked bacon lardons

250g diced onion

2 fat cloves garlic finely sliced

250g open cup mushrooms, quartered

2 sprigs thyme

1 bay leaf

15g tomato puree

300ml red wine

500ml liquid beef stock (I know... I just find it gives a better flavour to the dish!)

Plain flour for dusting

Handful of chopped parsley

60g unsalted butter

50g beurre manie (25g butter and 25g plain flour kneaded together)

Method

Pre heat oven to 180c.

Heat the butter over a medium heat in a heavy cast iron casserole, until foaming. Dust the chicken with flour and brown all over in the foaming butter, then set aside.

Add bacon to the same pan and cook until browned. Set aside with the chicken.

Drain off a little of the fat if necessary. Add the mushrooms, onion, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf to the pan and cook until soft.

Turn up the heat and add the tomato puree. Cook over a medium/high heat until the puree is starting to colour the oil.

Turn the heat to high and add the wine. Allow to boil and reduce by half.

Reduce the heat, add the stock and cooked bacon, and stir to incorporate everything.

Place the chicken thighs on top, with the skin just above the liquid. Cook for around 40 minutes to an hour, until the chicken is soft when prodded. The skin will have puffed up a little and will be glorious!

Remove the chicken thighs from the sauce and set aside.

Put the casserole on the stove over a medium heat, bring to a gentle boil, and thicken the sauce by whisking in the beurre manie a little at a time until the desired consistency is reached, mix in the parsley, and return chicken to finished sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with buttery mash and green beans.

The Perfect Wine Match

Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, Borgo Conventi 2021

Refosco del Peduncolo is one of a family of Refosco grapes named for its red coloured stems. Historically grown in Croatia and the border areas of Friuli Venezia, Italy and Goriska Brdo in Slovenia. It was always known for the quality of its wines and was a particular favourite of Pliny. There was a decline the 17th Century when newer varieties which were easier to cultivate gained popularity. It languished, largely forgotten, until a revival in the 1980’s saw it regain popularity. With its full body and good acidity, it produces very food friendly wines.

This example come from grapes grown in optimal conditions in Friuli Venezia Giula and is fermented in Stainless Steel under controlled temperatures.

Deep ruby red colour. It has an intense aroma with penetrating notes of violet and bramble. The palate has layers of blackcurrant, blackberry, cherry, fresh damson and plums with lively acidity and a lingering finish.