Coq Au Vin/Chicken Burgundy Stew

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You’ve got a one-too-many bottle of red wine　(it does not have to be Burgundy!), or “unwanted” present!
No worries! Here is a simple recipe to use it! As the alcohol will disappear during the cooking, everyone can enjoy it!

Ingredients (6 people):
Cockerel or chicken (cut in appropriate-sized pieces): 2kg
Butter: 40g
Lard: 100g
Onion: 1
Echalotes (highly flavoured small onions): 2
Carrot: 1 small one
Garlic: 3 cloves
Flour: 40g
Cognac ( or marc or brandy): 50cc
Tomato puree: 1 tablespoon
Red wine (the stronger, the better): 750cc
Bacon: 125g
White mushrooms (champignons de Paris, white agarics): 250g
Bouquet garni (fresh thyme+parsley+laurel)
Salt & pepper to taste

Recipe:

In a deep saucepan heat 40g of butter and the lard cut in pieces (if soft, just as it is). Cook the pieces of chicken until golden. Then add onion, echalotes, carrot, garlic (all finely cut). Sprinkle with flour. Mix well. Pour in the Cognac and flambe on high fire (light the alcohol). Then pour in the wine and one cup of water, and the tomato puree. Add salt and pepper and the bouquet garni. Pit lid on. Let simmer on small fire for 1 hour and thirty minutes to two hours depending on the chicken’s firmness.
Cut the bacon in pieces. Put them in cold water. Bring the water to boil for a few seconds and drain the bacon. Cut the bottom of the mushrooms stems. Clean and slice. Cook the bacon in a small saucepan on small fire for a few minutes. Add the mushrooms. Saute (fry) on high fire for five to eight minutes. Pour the lot in a deep serving dish. Keep warm.
Take the chicken pieces out of the saucepan. Put them on the bacon and mushrooms.
Sieve the sauce and reduce on high fire for a few minutes if necessary. To make the sauce thicker and richer add the chicken liver crushed. Pour the sauce onto the chicken. Sprinkle with freshly minced parsley and serve with plain boiled potatoes.