Full Moon Food. (Coq au Vin Menu)

I survived a full moon in Scorpio last Wednesday!  So did you, meaning that it is  very appetite enhancing, no matter who you are.   But even without knowing astrology and the moons cycles, one can always tell the difference between a full moon day and other days.  Its the intensity of emotional responses that one is aware of that sets these days apart from other less luminous days and nights.  So in honor of that little boost of energy (and the fact that I haven't been writing for quite a while) here are some recipes to satisfy and nourish. I have already given recipes for the Potato Wedges, Crudites and the salad (variation of Spoon Salad) in previous posts. So look them up and repeat the performance... Enjoy!

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Menu

 Coq au Vin

Potato Wedges

Crudites aux Aoili

Arugula and Spinach salad

Cinnamon Pecan Cookies.

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Coq au Vin

Ingredients
1 organic whole chicken cut into 10-12 pieces
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt,
1 tsp pepper
5 slices of organic bacon or about 1/2 tsp Hickory smoke flavoring (optional)
4-6  tbsp organic olive oil

1 bottle red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot)

3 cloves garlic
4 tbsp  organic butter

12-29 pearl onions

1/2 pound button mushrooms

1 tsp thyme

2 tbsp tomato paste

1.(This step is optional for those who eat bacon.) Saute the bacon strips in the dutch oven and remove, leaving the drippings.
2.Then dredge the chicken pieces in about 1/2 cup of flour a tsp each of salt and pepper. In a dutch oven take half of the chicken pieces and saute them in the bacon drippings and add a little of the oil. They are golden brown on both sides.  Remove and set aside, while sauteing the remaining chicken.
3.When all the chicken is sauteed, put all of it   back into the pot, open a bottle of red wine pour over the chicken. Set on low heat after it comes to a slow boil. 
The original recipe calls for using chicken broth as well but I choose not to, as I do not buy commercial chicken broth. If you have your own stock then go ahead. It will save on the wine.
4.Then add the rest of the flavorings, thyme, tomato paste, garlic. Add hickory flavoring now if you want if you didn't use bacon. Its fine without the added smoky flavor, but that is the original French recipe. Simmer for around 45 minutes.
5.In a pot of boiling water add the pearl onions and parboil til the skin comes off easily usually takes 15 minutes. Remove the onions and slip the skins off by making a cut at one end. In a separate skillet, add about 2 tbsp of butter. Saute the onions til brown. Remove.
6.Wash the mushrooms. Then cut them in quarters, discarding the stems. Saute them in the butter til brown, adding more butter to prevent any burning.
7.Add both the onions and the mushrooms to the chicken. Simmer on low heat for another 30 minutes.  This recipe is wonderful the day after. I like to cook it a day in advance to let the flavors really meld. This idea is the base for Beef Bourginon and other meat dishes stewed in wine. All use the same ingredients more or less.
8.Remove all the meat and vegetables.  Here you can do the following. To create a thicker sauce, you can now reduce the liquid to whatever thickness you want. Just simmer and stir til it looks glossy and smooth, coating the spoon. To remove the fat from the sauce, you can also remove the liquid and put in a separate container in the fridge. the fat will rise to the top. You can skim it off. It will be solid if left in long enough. That is why I like to serve this the next day. This step is easier if you have a chilled sauce.
9. Put the sauce back in the pot. Then add the chicken, mushrooms and onions. Reheat simmer and serve immediately
10. Serve with Baked Potato Wedges and  Crudites aux Aoili (Mixed vegetables with Mayonnaise dip)  Here  I used fresh tomatoes, asparagus and brussel sprouts. (see previous posts)
11. You can also serve a nice arugula and spinach salad with oil vinegar and grated Romano cheese. Follow recipe for Spoon salad if you feel more comfortable with a recipe to follow. These 2 dishes are the base of many a meal, whether or not you are serving meat, fish, eggs.

Cinnamon Pecan Cookies. 

(At the request of one of my very beautiful  readers I am adding lots of pictures to my food stories i.e. blogs). This is a recipe that is so easy you will never be at a loss again for how to make cookies. The base of the recipe is always the same. No matter if chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies, peanut butter. You'll see.
This is a half recipe. Feel free to double if you are feeding a crowd. Preheat oven to 375.

 Ingredients. 

This is the basic cookie dough recipe.1 large organic egg
1 scant cup organic brown sugar
1/2 cup raw organic butter, softened.
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup organic whole wheat or spelt flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp Celtic Sea Salt.

1.Mix together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix til light and fluffy.
2.Mix together in a separate bowl the dry ingredients.   You now can add whatever you want to create different cookie recipes.
3.For this recipe, add cinnamon to the dry ingredients.  Then combine the dry with the sugar, butter mixture. Add 1/2 cup of broken raw pecan pieces. Stir well.
4. Drop by teaspoonful on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes til a bit brown around the edges.
For variations.........

• chocolate chocolate chip?  Add 1/4 cup dry organic cocoa powder to dry ingredients. Add 2 oz (one half a TJ 72% cocoa bar.
• peanut butter? add 1/2 cup peanut butter to butter mixture. Increase flour by 1/4 cup. Chill. Form into balls and flatten with back of a fork to create criss cross imprint on top of cookie.
• oatmeal? Reduce flour by 1/4-1/2 cup add 1-1 1/2 cup of rolled oats. Add 1tsp of cinnamon to dry mixture.
• Create your own....... Have fun be creative.