The best coq au vin

Put the chicken thighs and drumsticks into a large non-metallic bowl or ceramic dish. Pour over the wine, add the garlic, half the thyme and rosemary (tied together with kitchen string), the bay leaves and a generous grind of black pepper. Cover and chill overnight in the fridge, or for up to 24 hours, to allow the flavours to infuse and the wine to tenderise the meat.

Lift the chicken out of the marinade onto a large plate (reserve the wine and garlic, but discard the herbs). Pat dry with kitchen paper, getting the skin as dry as possible so it can render properly and become nicely golden. Season well.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC, gas mark 4. Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the lardons for about 5 minutes until crisp, then use a slotted spoon to scoop them out into a large casserole dish with a lid. Sear the chicken in batches in the bacon fat (add more oil if there isn’t enough) until golden all over then, using tongs, transfer the chicken to the casserole dish.

Peel and finely chop the reserved garlic cloves from the marinade, then add to the frying pan. Cook for 1 minute, then add the brandy and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to incorporate any caramelised bits that are stuck.

Add the tomato purée and a large mugful of the marinade wine. Bubble together for a minute, then add to the casserole, to cover the chicken. Add the remaining marinade with the carrots. Tie together the remaining thyme and rosemary using kitchen string, then nestle into the pot.

Bring the casserole to the boil, then bring some chicken to the top so the skin is visible above the wine. Cover the pan and bake in the oven for 1 hour.

As soon as you put the casserole in the oven, wipe any residue out of the frying pan, then melt 25g butter and add the whole shallots. Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes, or until they begin to soften and caramelise top and bottom. Open the oven, remove the casserole lid and add the shallots to the sauce. Replace the lid and continuing to cook.

Clean and trim the mushrooms and slice any large ones in half or quarters. Melt 25g butter into the frying pan, then fry the mushrooms for 7-8 minutes, tossing regularly to ensure even browning. Once caramelised, add to the casserole, pressing them into the sauce with a spoon and replace the lid.

Remove the lid for the final 15 minutes cooking time, to reduce the sauce slightly. Using tongs, discard the herbs and transfer the chicken to a clean plate. Check it’s cooked through with no pink meat and juices that run clear.

Mix together the flour and remaining butter to form a paste, then add to the sauce and whisk vigorously to combine. Bring back to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes – the sauce should easily coat the back of a spoon. Taste and season well, then nestle the chicken back into the pot. Scatter with chives just before serving with mounds of mash and fresh greens, such as kale, if liked.