Vegetarian Coq Au Vin (Rooster in Wine) with Whipped Mashed Potatoes (a very indulgent meal, but you gotta indulge sometimes!)

Please when making this dish or any of my own creations posted here, use your own creativity. The recipes I post are based on what I like. Feel free to tweak them the way you want them. Usually I don't measure ingredients, I just know what is missing, or what needs adjusting. Chef's only use recipes as guidelines, if they use them at all!

                              For our wedding reception we gave our guests a choice between a Coq Au Vin and a vegetarian version of the same dish. Funny enough, and maybe that's just how dinner goes at wedding receptions, my husband and I did not really eat that much. Because we did not get to enjoy our wedding meal, on our first anniversary, I decided to make the vegetarian version, since by then we had become vegetarians ourselves. (Only one of us was vegetarian on our wedding day :). I had never made it before and so, it was just GOOD. (I served it with rice pilaf and steamed vegetables). The second year, I attempted to make it again (note, I only make this recipe ONCE a year!)....and obviously it was better than it had been the year before.(I served it with rice pilaf and sauteed vegetables) This year, I made it, and my husband said, "it was one of the best foods he ever tasted!". (Even though I paid no special attention to the vegetables this year...lol) So I think this is the winning recipe. I am sharing it, not only for your benefit, but for mine, so next year I can return to this page and see what I did..

Ingredients

10 oz       Veggie Chik'n Patties (I used the Italian Version) sliced
10            Pearl Onions (peeled and sliced in half)
8 oz         White Button Mushrooms (sliced)
1 clove     Garlic (minced or grated finely)
1              Bay Leaf
1 1/2cups Vegetable Stock (Homemade or Store bought)
350 ml      Red Wine (or you can use diluted red wine vinegar, red grape juice diluted with red wine vinegar.   I have not personally tried it. Depending on how long you cook the dish with red wine you can end up with less than 5% alcohol. I like to simmer mine for at least 2 hours)
2 tsp        Dried Thyme leaves
2 tsp        Dried Parsley leaves
2 tsp        Oregano leaves
2 tbsp      Butter (if Vegan use the alternative)
olive oil
salt to taste
black pepper to taste

Whipped Potatoes

2lbs           Red bliss potatoes
1 1/2 cup    Butter (melted) (The number one reason why mashed potatoes made by some restaurants will taste better than yours is because they mix in an enormous amount of butter. There is an industry saying, "THE MORE BUTTER THE BETTER. Let me also say that even though I eat healthy, I don't eat mashed potatoes everyday..not even once a month. Also you want to use REAL butter instead of the overly processed crap found on the shelves. Hydrogenated stuff should STAY OUT OF YOUR KITCHEN!...butter is actually healthier than margarine).
1/2 cup      Almond/Soy Milk (This time I did not even use the milk the butter was more than enough)
salt to taste
white pepper to taste

* When I say salt and pepper to taste, it means that you add to adjust. I season my dishes 3 times while cooking..beginning, middle and end with just salt and pepper to really bring out the flavors without it tasting salty or too much pepper.

Method

1. Slice up all ingredients, measure all ingredients

2. Put some olive oil in a heated pot (I used a 5qt covered saute pan). When the oil gets hot (not smoking) add the sliced mushrooms. Saute them until they begin to get brown and yummy.

3. Add the pearl onions at this point with the crushed garlic. Allow the mushrooms to cook some more.

4. Add the Chick'n veggie meat to the pot and stir in. Allowing some of the flavors to get happy with it!

(Note: using the breaded patties removes the task of mixing a roux to thicken the dish near the end. the breadcrumbs thicken it up all on its own!)

                        

 5. When you think it has time to heat up and "play" together for a while, then you can add the red wine. 

 6. After adding the wine, add the vegetable stock. You want to make sure that all the ingredients are covered so add more stock if necessary (this is when keeping store bought stock on hand comes in handy)

7. Add the bay leaf and cover. Allow it to simmer for at least 1 hour. You want the sauce to reduce and thicken before using. (I say this because even though the chick'n is cooked, you still want it to soak up the flavors of the dish. It takes a while for the Chick'n flavors to become subtle.

                        

8. The finished product looks like the picture below. See the difference from the picture above? YUMMY!

9. While your dish is simmering, its a good time to work on your whipped potatoes, if that is your choice of starch to serve with the dish. I start with placing the potatoes in cold water in a pot, with some salt and placing in on the stove top.  (2 Notes: You never want to start with hot water. Boiled potatoes should be started in cold water instead of in hot water. This allows for even cooking. Also you want to add salt to your water, especially if you are using the potatoes with the skin like I did. It helps with the flavoring)

                                           

10. Cook potatoes until they are cooked.( insert a knife into a couple of the potatoes to check. It will be ready when they are soft, but not overcooked)

11. Strain off all the water. Leaving it in the pot it was cooked in (I do this because the pot is still heated. You never want to use cold items on your hot potatoes), use a potato masher to break it up. It should break up easily. 

12. Place the potatoes in a stand up mixer with the paddle attachment. Melt the butter (and if you want to use cream or milk, heat this up as well, separately. 

13. Add your melted butter to your potatoes first until it reaches the texture you desire. Then if you want, you can add the milk. I did not add milk this time as my potatoes reached the consistency and texture with just the butter! Turn your mixer on and whip for a short period. YOU DO NOT WANT TO OVER MIX. They should look like the picture below. Remember to season with salt and pepper IF needed.