Cafealvancocoa Recipes

COQ AU VIN

Steps:

• 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.

BEEF BARBACOA TACOS

Steps:

• Heat a large cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chiles and cook, pressing them down with a spatula, 10 seconds per side; transfer to a plate. Add the tomatoes, onion and garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are charred in spots, about 10 minutes.
• Peel the garlic and transfer to a blender along with the tomatoes and onion (reserve the skillet). Tear the chiles into pieces and add to the blender along with 1/2 cup water and 1 teaspoon salt; pulse until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into the skillet, pressing it through with the back of a spoon.
• Add the beef to the skillet and turn to coat in the chile sauce using tongs. Cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until a crust starts to form on the meat, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in the cumin, cinnamon and cayenne pepper and cook 1 more minute. Meanwhile, puree 2 1/2 cups water, the cilantro and thyme in the blender; add to the skillet along with the bay leaves.
• Reduce the heat to low. Cover and gently simmer until the meat is very tender, about 2 hours, adding up to 1 1/2 cups water if the sauce gets too thick. Remove the bay leaves and season with salt and black pepper. Serve in tortillas with assorted toppings.

COQ AU VIN WITH COCOA POWDER

Steps:

• Season chicken all over with salt and pepper. Place in a large bowl and add yellow onion, carrot, thyme, bay leaves, and wine. Cover and chill, turning chicken once or twice, at least 1 day and up to 2 days.
• Remove chicken from marinade (do not discard) and pat dry with paper towels; pluck off any aromatics still stuck to chicken. Strain marinade through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl and set infused wine and aromatics aside separately.
• Heat 1 Tbsp. oil and 1 Tbsp. butter in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. Add bacon and cook, stirring often, until brown and crisp, 5-8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a medium bowl.
• Arrange chicken, skin side down, in a single layer in same pot and cook until skin is browned, 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and arrange skin side up.
• Pour off all but 3 Tbsp. fat from pot and increase heat to medium-high; reserve fat for another use. Add mushrooms and cook, tossing often and adding a splash of infused wine if bits stuck to bottom of pot are getting too dark, until browned and tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to bowl with bacon.
• If bottom of pot is dry, add a tablespoon or so reserved fat and cook reserved aromatics, stirring often, until vegetables are soft and browned around the edges, 8-10 minutes. Sprinkle flour over top and cook, stirring, until flour is no longer visible. Return chicken to pot, arranging skin side up in a single layer, and pour in reserved infused wine (it should come just to the top of the chicken pieces; add water to get it there if needed). Bring liquid to a gentle simmer, partially cover pot, and cook chicken until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of breast registers 160°F, 30-40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil and 1 Tbsp. butter in a medium skillet over medium. Add pearl onions, season with salt, and cook, shaking skillet often, until onions are browned all over, 8-10 minutes. Add water to barely cover onions and partially cover skillet. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until onions are tender all the way through, 15-20 minutes; set aside.
• Transfer chicken to a platter and tent with foil. Strain braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. Return liquid to pot and set over medium heat. Whisk vinegar, cocoa, and 3 Tbsp. braising liquid in a small bowl until smooth, then stir into braising liquid in pot. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened and silky smooth, 5-10 minutes. Add pearl onions with cooking liquid and reserved bacon and mushrooms and cook until just heated through. Add chicken back to pot.