Coq au vin

Ingredients:
1 chicken or chicken parts about 3 1/2 lbs.
14 Tbsp. salt butter
4 tsp. potato flour
1 1/2 c. chicken stock
1/2 c. dry red wine
1/4 c. Madeira wine
1/4 c. dry sherry wine
1/2 c. dry white wine
1/2 tsp. red currant jelly
24 baby white onions, peeled
8 diagonal fried croutons
freshly cracked white pepper
6 oz. boiled ham, cut in 3/4-inch cubes
granulated sugar
6 oz. white mushrooms, cut in half
1 tsp. lemon juice
salt
1/3 c. brandy
1 tsp. tomato paste
 

Method:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat 5 tablespoons butter in a deep, heavy casserole. Put in chicken and slowly brown. Heat brandy in a small pan; ignite and pour over chicken. Remove the chicken from the pan and stir into the same pan, off the heat, the tomato paste and potato flour. When it is smooth, mix in the chicken stock, four wines, jelly and a little pepper, but no salt! Stir over low heat until the sauce comes to a rolling boil. Remove from heat; put chicken in the sauce and set casserole on the top shelf of the oven without a cover and cook 45 minutes. While the chicken is cooking, pierce the baby onions with a needle or small skewer to center on 4 sides. This helps to prevent onions from separating. Put the onions in a pan; cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Drain immediately. Heat 5 tablespoons of butter in a sauté pan. When butter is foaming, put in the onions and shake over brisk heat until they begin to brown. Sprinkle with a little sugar and salt and continue to shake over heat until they are glazed. Remove onions from pan. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and when it foams, add the ham. Shake over brisk heat and when it begins to brown, sprinkle a little sugar over the ham. Shake a little more and remove from pan. Put 2 tablespoons of butter in pan; add the mushrooms, lemon juice, a little salt and pepper. Cook over moderate heat 3 minutes. About 5 minutes before the chicken is finished cooking, scatter the onions, ham and mushrooms over chicken in casserole in oven. When done, stick the croutons around casserole, points up. Serve over noodles or linguine.