The Scented Kitchen: Coq au Vin Blanc, A Taste of France at Home

A Little Taste of France—Without Leaving Home

Recently, John and I were tossing around the idea of traveling internationally again. Before long, we were doing what everyone does when a trip is still just an idea—Googling cities and countries, checking the weather, studying maps and seeing which destinations might put us somewhere near the ocean.

All that virtual traveling brought back memories of a trip we took to Europe a few years ago. We visited Germany and Russia before ending our trip in Paris.

Looking back, I’m not sure I fully appreciated Paris.

By the time we arrived, we had been traveling for quite a while and were tired. But there is one thing we definitely remember: the pastries!

Croissants, éclairs, Paris-Brest, Napoleons, macarons—you name it. Coffee shops seemed to be everywhere, but sadly, I wasn't a coffee drinker then, and John has yet to become one.

Now that I am a coffee drinker, I realize what I missed. Paris was practically a pastry-and-coffee paradise, and I didn't take full advantage of it!

Bringing a Little France Into My Kitchen

I've tried to make up for that missed opportunity by experimenting with a few French-inspired dishes at home. I'm certainly not an avid baker or French chef, so I tend to gravitate toward recipes that feel special without requiring an entire day in the kitchen.

That's exactly what I found for this edition of The Scented Kitchen: Coq au Vin Blanc Rustique, my simplified take on rustic French chicken braised in white wine with bacon, potatoes and vegetables.

But first, I needed to set the mood in my kitchen.

While spending more time than I care to admit on Pinterest looking for just the right recipe, I turned on my Esprit de Fleur™ Essential Oil Nebulizer and added Belle Aroma® Lemongrass 100% Pure Organic Essential Oil.

You might not immediately pair a citrus fragrance with a savory French dinner, but that's exactly why I enjoyed it. Lemongrass has a crisp, clean citrus aroma with subtle herbal notes that made the kitchen feel bright and fresh while I cooked.

And because the Esprit de Fleur uses waterless nebulizing technology, there's no water to measure or reservoir to continually refill. It diffuses the oil without diluting it, allowing me to enjoy its pure aroma.

At its lowest setting, one bottle can provide fragrance for up to 80 days, making it an easy way to keep fragrance part of the everyday kitchen experience.

So, what is Coq au Vin?

While researching the recipe, I discovered an interesting bit of history.

Coq au vin is traditionally associated with the French practice of slowly cooking an older rooster in wine. The long, gentle cooking helped tenderize meat that otherwise could be quite tough.

Don't worry—we're skipping the old rooster part!

Although the red wine version is probably the best known today, variations developed using wines available in different regions. For my version, we're using dry white wine to create a lighter sauce.

I've also simplified the preparation while keeping plenty of rustic flavor from bacon, thyme, garlic and those wonderful browned bits left in the bottom of the pan.

The result is French-inspired comfort food that's surprisingly doable for a weeknight or lovely enough for a relaxed Sunday dinner.

Coq au Vin Blanc Rustique

Rustic French White Wine Chicken with Bacon & Potatoes

Serves 2 generously

Ingredients

• 3 thick-cut bacon slices, chopped
• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into thick slices
• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
• ¾ pound baby red or gold potatoes, halved
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1½ cups dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
• 1½ cups chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Fresh thyme or chopped parsley for serving, optional

Directions

1. Cook the bacon.
In a large Dutch oven or deep skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove and set aside, leaving about 2 tablespoons of drippings in the pan.

2. Brown the chicken.
Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and the black pepper. Place skin-side down in the bacon drippings and cook for about 5 minutes, or until nicely browned. Turn and cook another 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

3. Add the vegetables.
Add the butter, carrots, onion and potatoes to the same pan. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

4. Make the white wine sauce.
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for about 1 minute.

Pour in ½ cup of the white wine and scrape up all those delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the remaining wine, chicken stock, thyme and remaining ½ teaspoon salt.

5. Let it braise.
Return the chicken to the pan, skin-side up, and scatter the cooked bacon around it. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook over medium-low heat for 30–35 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F.

6. Finish the sauce.
Remove the lid and simmer uncovered for another 5–10 minutes if you'd like a slightly thicker sauce. Remove the thyme stems, if using, and finish with fresh thyme or parsley.

Claire's Kitchen Note

Don't waste those browned bits left in the bottom of the pan! They're loaded with flavor. Since white wine is already going into the recipe, I use a splash of it to deglaze the pan and pull all that goodness into the sauce.

A Little French-Inspired Escape at Home

Maybe John and I will make it back to Paris someday. If we do, I can assure you I won't make the same mistake twice. There will be coffee. There will be pastries. Probably far too many pastries.

Until then, I'll happily settle for creating little escapes right here at home.

That's one of the things I enjoy about The Scented Kitchen. A recipe can transport us somewhere we've been—or somewhere we'd like to go—and fragrance can help set the scene before the first bite ever reaches the table.

The Esprit de Fleur Essential Oil Nebulizer has three intensity settings, an automatic 8-hour shutoff and a choice of Light Stone or Dark Stone finishes, so it looks as lovely sitting in the kitchen as it is simple to use.

Paired with Belle Aroma Lemongrass 100% Pure Organic Essential Oil, it brought just the fresh, bright atmosphere I wanted while preparing this rustic French supper.

And if Paris isn't on the itinerary anytime soon?

Pour a glass of that Pinot Grigio, put the chicken on to braise, and bring a little bit of France home instead.

Make something delicious. Create a beautiful atmosphere. And make a memory while you're at it.

— Claire Beaumont for The Gift of Scent