1 Whole Chicken (assumed 4.5 lbs for this recipe)
Coq au Vin with Roasted Leeks as pictured in Cooking Close to Home
1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 leeks
1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
1/2 cup red wine
3/4 cup Basic Chicken Stock (Diane has great stock recipes)
Salt & Freshly ground black pepper, to season
Preheat oven to 375. Remove any excess fat, rinse inside and out of chicken and pat dry.
Mix together the rosemary, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper to form a light paste. Rub the outside of chicken with this paste to coat.
Place chicken in a roasting pan. Put in the oven and roast for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 and continue to roast for 40 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165.
While chicken is roasting, wash and cut the leeks into strips 1/4 inch by 2 inch.
When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pan, cover and set aside. Drain off all juices and reserve. Add the leeks to the roasting pan and cook, stirring for 10 minutes or until leeks are wilted but still bright green. Remove the leeks from the pan and set aside.
Place the roasting pan on the stovetop. Turn the heat to medium and add the flour and 1 Tablespoon of reserved pan drippings. Stir together and cook for 2-3 minutes until flour turns light brown. Add the red wine and chicken stock and whisk to blend in the flour. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a fast simmer and reduce until the liquid becomes sauce consistency. Place in a small serving bowl.
Arrange the leeks in the center of a serving platter. Cut the chicken form the bones and place on top of the leeks. Serve with sauce on the side.