Este prato é uma celebração dos sabores robustos e rústicos do campo português. A combinação de frango cozinhado lentamente em vinho tinto do Dão com o sabor terroso dos míscaros e o toque fumado do bacon cria um estufado rico e profundamente reconfortante. É a refeição ideal para um dia frio, partilhada à mesa com um bom pão para absorver o molho delicioso e, claro, um copo do mesmo vinho usado no cozinhado.

Ingredientes

  • Frango do campo (pernas, asas e peito desossado, cortado em pedaços)
  • 200 g de Bacon fatiado fino
  • 250 g de Chalotas picadas
  • 2 Dentes de alho picados
  • 1 Haste de aipo (com folhas, picado)
  • 1 Raminho de salsa picado
  • 1 Colher de sopa de azeite virgem
  • 1 Colher de sopa de manteiga (para saltear)
  • 1 Colher de sopa de manteiga (para engrossar o molho)
  • 1 Colher de sopa de farinha
  • 2 Colheres de sopa de aguardente velha
  • 1/2 L de vinho tinto do Dão
  • 1 Colher de chá de tomilho seco
  • Sal q.b.
  • Pimenta preta moída na ocasião q.b.
  • Míscaros q.b. (quantidade não especificada)
  • Tagliatelli (para acompanhar)

Preparação

  1. Comecei por deixar os míscaros em água durante 20 minutos. Estes amigos amarelos têm este pequenino senão de virem sempre cobertos de areia.
  2. Depois, lavei-os e voltei a lavá-los até ter a certeza de que, chegada a hora, os meus dentes, já sensíveis, não iriam apresentar-me qualquer reclamação.
  3. Sequei-os e cortei-os às tiras.
  4. Depois de bem lavado em água fria, sequei o frango com papel absorvente e cortei-o em pedaços. As pernas, as asas e o peito desossado. Tudo em pedaços prontos a servir.
  5. Cortei às fatias finas 200 gramas de bacon, piquei 250 gramas de chalotas e 2 dentes de alho, piquei 1 haste de aipo, folhas incluídas, e piquei 1 raminho de salsa.
  6. Num tacho largo, fritei o bacon com 1 colher de sopa de azeite virgem. Fritei bem frito.
  7. Retirei o bacon e na gordura alourei os pedaços de frango.
  8. Juntei as chalotas e os dentes de alho e deixei refogar um pouco.
  9. Refresquei com aguardente velha, talvez 2 colheres de sopa, tapei e deixei transpirar.
  10. Cobri com 1/2 litro de vinho do Dão tinto – com os míscaros, só vinho da minha região –, temperei com sal, pimenta preta moída na ocasião e 1 colher de chá de tomilho seco.
  11. Tapei e deixei estufar em lume brando durante 50 minutos.
  12. Entretanto, num tabuleiro, levei os cogumelos a forno previamente aquecido a 250.° durante 10 minutos.
  13. Escorri os cogumelos e salteei-os com 1 colher de sopa de manteiga, o aipo e a salsa picados durante 5 minutos.
  14. Misturei, então, muito bem misturados, 1 colher de sopa de farinha com 1 colher de sopa de manteiga e juntei ao frango.
  15. Deizei cozinhar durante mais 5 minutos e juntei os míscaros salteados.
  16. Rectifiquei de temperos, retirei do lume e servi acompanhado com tagliatelli. E vinho do Dão. Claro.

Bringing the heart of the Portuguese countryside to your kitchen, here is the English version of this recipe.

Country Chicken with Red Wine

This dish is a classic, hearty stew that beautifully captures the rustic flavours of the Portuguese countryside. It’s very similar in spirit to the famous French dish, Coq au Vin, but with its own distinct character, thanks to the use of a full-bodied Dão red wine and earthy wild mushrooms. The slow-cooking process makes the chicken incredibly tender, while the bacon, aromatics, and brandy build a sauce that is rich, complex, and deeply comforting.

The recipe calls for míscaros, a type of wild mushroom known as Saffron Milk Caps in English. They have a wonderful, slightly peppery flavour that is fantastic in this stew. If you can’t find them, other flavourful wild mushrooms like chanterelles or even chestnut mushrooms would be a great substitute. The technique of creating a beurre manié (a paste of butter and flour) at the end is a classic way to thicken the sauce, giving it a perfect, velvety consistency.

This is the perfect dish for a cosy Sunday lunch or a special dinner with friends. Served with tagliatelle to soak up all of that incredible sauce, and of course, a glass of the same Dão red wine, it’s a truly memorable meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 Free-range chicken (legs, wings, and boneless breast, cut into pieces)
  • 200g thinly sliced bacon
  • 250g shallots, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 celery stalk (with leaves, chopped)
  • 1 small bunch of parsley, chopped
  • 1 tbsp virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter (for sautéing)
  • 1 tbsp butter (to thicken the sauce)
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 2 tbsp old brandy
  • 500ml Dão red wine
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • Salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Saffron milk cap mushrooms (*míscaros*), or other wild mushrooms
  • Tagliatelle, to serve

Method

  1. Start by soaking the saffron milk cap mushrooms in water for 20 minutes. These yellow friends have a slight drawback of always being covered in sand.
  2. Afterwards, wash them and rewash them until you are sure that, when the time comes, your already sensitive teeth will have no complaints.
  3. Dry them and cut them into strips.
  4. After thoroughly washing the chicken in cold water, pat it dry with a paper towel and cut it into serving-sized pieces (the legs, wings, and boneless breast).
  5. Finely slice 200g of bacon, and chop 250g of shallots, 2 garlic cloves, 1 celery stalk (including the leaves), and a small bunch of parsley.
  6. In a large casserole dish, fry the bacon in 1 tbsp of virgin olive oil until very crispy.
  7. Remove the bacon and, in the same fat, brown the chicken pieces.
  8. Add the shallots and garlic and let them soften for a few minutes.
  9. Pour in the old brandy, about 2 tablespoons, cover the dish, and let it steam for a moment.
  10. Cover with 500ml of Dão red wine – with these mushrooms, it has to be a wine from my region – season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and 1 tsp of dried thyme.
  11. Cover and let it stew on a low heat for 50 minutes.
  12. Meanwhile, on a baking tray, roast the mushrooms in a preheated oven at 250°C for 10 minutes.
  13. Drain the mushrooms and sauté them in 1 tbsp of butter with the chopped celery and parsley for 5 minutes.
  14. In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp of flour with 1 tbsp of butter until you have a smooth paste. Add this paste to the chicken stew.
  15. Let it cook for another 5 minutes to thicken the sauce, then add the sautéed mushrooms.
  16. Check the seasoning, remove from the heat, and serve with tagliatelle. And a glass of Dão wine, of course.