Rachael shares a classic coq au vin, the perfect recipe when it's cold out and you're having family or friends over for dinner or a long Sunday lunch. She also has a funny anecdote about the French word coq. "Literally, coq au vin means rooster or cock in wine," she says, "but it always makes me think of my friend Pierette, who runs a small cozy bistro, Chez Pierre, in upstate New York. Her restaurant and bar have beautiful murals and over the bar is a painting of a coq that says 'Quand ce coq chante les boissons sont gratutites,' which translates to 'when this cock sings, the drinks are free'!"
She likes to serve the dish with a salad of frisee, radicchio, thinly sliced pears, finely chopped cornichons and fried slices of panko-crusted goat cheese dressed in a lemon-shallot vinaigrette.
Combine the chicken and onions in a large plastic food storage bag or shallow dish, add bay leaves and cover in wine, then marinate overnight. Strain and reserve wine. Pat the pieces of chicken dry and reserve the onions and bay. Place wine in a small pot, reduce by half and set aside off heat.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Season chicken with salt and pepper and heat large cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons oil.
Brown chicken, skin-side down first, 5 minutes, then turn, brown 3 to 4 minutes more and remove. Add the pork, render until lightly crisp and remove. Add butter and mushrooms with thyme. Brown mushrooms, then add the reserved onions, salt and pepper and brandy and stir. Add tomato paste and garlic and stir a minute more. Sprinkle flour over the pan, add the bone broth or stock, then stir in the demiglace and reduced wine. Turn and settle the chicken into the sauce. Cover the pan with 2 layers of foil or a lid if using a Dutch oven. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove thyme and bay leaves. Serve with brioche or baguette.