Emincé de Volaille au Riesling

Au Bon Coin in Wintzenheim, admittedly one of the less attractive villages on the Alsace Wine Route, should be on every wine lover's list of restaurants to visit. The food is good, classic Alsace without any fuss - the table next to us had Choucroute for eight: huge piles of cabbage and an assortment of salted pork products all round - but it is the wine list of more than 1100 wines from all over France and beyond at very reasonable prices that stands out. We had a 2018 Alsace Pinot from a very good producer for around 40€. It wouldn't happen here.

We opted for the exceptionally reasonably priced set lunch at just 18€ which included a starter (onion tart or salade paysanne), main and dessert. For the main, we both had Emincé de Volaille au Riesling, a variation of Coq au Riesling, itself a variation of Coq au Vin. Whatever, it was delicious although I probably wouldn't chose to have spaetzle when making it myself. I think some home made (or very good fresh) tagliatelle works better for my palate.

It's very simple. For four people, in a flat casserole, melt 100g butter and add two chicken fillets (this is the main difference between this dish and Coq au Riesling which uses chicken pieces on the bone and takes much longer to cook well) and set them aside when lightly browned. Add one finely chopped shallot, a minced clove of garlic and a good quantity of sliced mushrooms and gently fry until cooked through. Almost any type of mushroom can be used; woodland mushrooms work well for me (I just don't like button mushrooms) but probably not porcini as the flavour could overwhelm everything else.

You can flambé the pan with a dash of brandy if you like. Either way, add 250ml Riesling (not too sweet) and the same amount of chicken stock (low sodium is best for this) and add back the chicken. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or so until the chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile, mix together 100ml double cream, one egg yolk and 1 tsp corn flour (or similar) with a couple of tablespoons of the liquid from the casserole. When the chicken is cooked through, transfer it and the mushrooms to a warm bowl and whisk the cream mixture in with the remaining liquid in the casserole. Cut the chicken into small pieces (a couple of bites at most).

Cook the tagliatelle (amount to be determined by your hunger), drain it and add it to the sauce. Plate up, leaving some sauce in the casserole, then top the chicken in the sauce, ensuring it is thoroughly warmed through before putting it on top of the pasta. A sprinkle of parsley is optional but adds some colour to an otherwise pale but delicious meal.

WINE There really should be only one recommendation: Nada Giuseppe, Langhe Riesling 2016 'Tecum' although if you, like us, sometimes want a red with this, any of the Domaine Joblot or Justin Girardin Pinot Noir reds would certainly do.