Coq au Riesling – white coq au vin

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 4 chicken legs with back piece
• 6 small onions or shallots
• 2 garlic cloves
• 3 sprigs of thyme
• 3 rosemary sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 500 ml white wine (Riesling)
• 200 ml chicken stock or chicken broth
• 300 g pumpkin(s), e.g. Hokkaido, butternut, nutmeg pumpkin
• 150 g porcini mushrooms, fresh
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes

delicious autumn recipe

Preheat the oven to 180°C (top/bottom heat). Divide the legs into 2 more pieces at the joint, season generously with salt and pepper, and sear them all over in an ovenproof pan or roasting tin. In a non-stick pan, you can do this without any extra fat, as enough will cook from the chicken pieces. Otherwise, use a little clarified butter or oil. Remove the chicken pieces from the pan or roasting tin. Halve the onions or shallots if desired and add them with the garlic, fry, stir in the tomato paste, and fry briefly. Deglaze with the white wine and stock or broth, and add the herb sprigs. Place the chicken pieces in the pan, skin-side down. Braise uncovered on the lowest rack or directly on the floor of the oven for about 40 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn the chicken pieces over so that the skin is now on top. Meanwhile, clean the pumpkin and cut into thin wedges. After 40 minutes, arrange them on the chicken, spooning over some of the braising liquid and return it to the oven. Braise for another 20-30 minutes. During this time, slice the porcini mushrooms, fry them in the butter until golden brown, season with salt and pepper, and toss with the parsley. Arrange them over the pumpkin wedges before serving. Tips: I always use thighs with the back piece for this dish rather than whole, cut-up chickens, because the lean chicken breast becomes too dry when braising. The edges of the pumpkin caramelize very slightly in the oven; it tastes wonderfully spicy and sweet and easily binds the now-reduced braising liquid, which is then perfect for soaking up with bread. As a side dish, I recommend baguette and the white wine that also goes into the sauce. If you’re serving baguettes, put them in the oven with the pumpkin at the latest.