Terry Pomerantz offers 3 excellent side dishes for Coq au Porc –which is a typical Quebec recipe made of pork tenderloin wrapped in a flattened chicken breast. “Add the Coq au Porc to your barbecue pork tenderloin recipes. As for me, I simply added a little improvised personal touch to the recipes I have found while reading magazines and looking online.”
The origins of Coq au Porc
The Coq au Porc recipe was born in Quebec. Who invented this recipe, in what region of Quebec and when? That remains a mystery!
Choosing the best meats for Coq au Porc
To make a Coq au Porc you will need:
- Pork tenderloin cut into 2 pieces
- 2 chicken breasts
- A few slices of Canadian bacon
How to prepare the Coq au Porc
To prepare Coq au Porc, Terry Pomerantz proceeds as follows.
- Slice the chicken breasts so that you can open them like a book
- Flatten them slightly with a mallet
- Cut the pork tenderloin in two
- Place each piece of pork tenderloin in the center of an opened chicken breast
- Close each chicken breast over the pork tenderloin
- Stuff each Coq au Porc with slices of Canadian bacon
- Tie it all together with a string
- In a pan, sear the Coq au Porc in a little bit of olive oil and butter
- Pour ¼ cup of chicken broth and ¼ cup of white wine into the pan and deglaze
- Cook in the oven at 350 o F for 15 minutes
- Finish cooking on the BBQ at low heat and until internal temperature reaches 165 o
3 Side dishes with sauce for your Coq au Porc
Here are 3 side dishes Terry Pomerantz thinks go well with Coq au Porc:
Dauphinoise potatoes.
These potatoes bring a creamy element to the pork and chicken which are two lighter tasting meats.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 cup of 35 % cream
- 1 chopped onion
- 1 minced Quebec garlic clove
- 1 tbs of thyme
- 1 lb of yellow potatoes, in thin slices
- 1 ½ cups Emmental cheese
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350 o F (180 o C)
- Butter an 8- inch x 8- inch cake pan (20 cm x 20 cm)
- In a large pot, bring cream, milk, garlic, onion and thyme to a boil
- Simmer on low heat for two minutes, and add salt and pepper
- Place a layer of sliced potatoes at the bottom of the cake pan and sprinkle with 1/3 of cheese
- Add 2 other layers of potatoes/cheese
- Cook in the oven for 1h30 (or until potatoes are cooked)
- If needed, finish cooking on broil for a few seconds until cheese is melted and bubbly
Brussel Sprouts
A few Brussel sprouts in a bit of crispy bacon can be served with mashed potatoes or gratin Dauphinois as perfect side dishes for Coq au Porc.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of Brussel sprouts cut in halves
- 2 slices of bacon, diced
- ¼ cup of chicken broth or dry white wine
- Olive oil, to taste
Preparation
- Pour olive oil in a pan and cook the bacon
- Keep the fat and set the bacon aside
- Sear the Brussel sprouts in the cooking fat
- Deglaze with white wine or chicken broth
- Bring to a boil and simmer until Brussel sprouts are tender
- Add the cooked bacon once you are ready to serve.
Apple and apricot pilaf rice
Ingredients
- 1 chopped onion
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp chopped ginger
- 1 ½ cups long grain white rice
- 2 diced apples
- 8 chopped dried apricots
- 1 ½ cups of chicken broth
- ½ cup of apple juice
- 1 tbs of old-style mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 375 °F
- Cook onion on medium heat in a casserole
- Add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 to 2 minutes
- Add the rice and stir to coat all the grains
- Add the rest of the ingredients
- Cover and cook in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes
With Coq au Porc, Terry suggests a medium bodied Bordeaux: a Saint-Emilion like a Closerie de Fourtet Grand-Cru or a Medoc like Château-Larose Trintaudon.
Terry Pomerantz, passionate about good food, shares with you his gastronomic favorites, tips and recipes, turning every meal into a memorable experience. Explore his culinary universe and discover the delights he suggests to tantalize your taste buds.