Coq Au Vin Chicken

Ingredients: 1 jointed chicken with the skin 2 tbsp butter 100 gm bacon - cut into 1/2 " strips 3 tbsp cognac (optional) salt and pepper 350 ml red wine 250 ml chicken stock 1 tsp thick tomato paste 2 tsp garlic paste 1 bay leaf 1/4 tsp thyme 1 tsp butter 1 tsp flour 100 gm button onions- browned in butter 250 gm quartered mushrooms - browned in butter chopped parsley to garnish Method: Brown chicken in hot butter. Remove from pan and add bacon strips and saut until golden. Replace chicken in pan and flamb with Cognac. Pour in wine and stock. Add tomato and garlic paste, bay leaf and thyme. Cover pan and simmer for 25 minutes till chicken is tender. Remove chicken pieces. Leave sauce in the pan and thicken with 1 tsp of butter mixed with flour. Add onions and mushrooms to the pan. Allow to heat and spoon over the chicken. Serve with parsley potatoes and buttered peas.