DON'T be surprised if you find me with a bottle of wine in my hand first thing in the morning.

I will be starting the marinating process for our meats. Beef or poultry for braising will be going into a rich red wine to soak up the colour and flavour. A 12-hour dip, at the very least, is my preference. Other cuts like lamb or venison for roasting, may also get the steeping treatment, but probably in olive oil, flavoured with thyme, rosemary, shallots and peppercorns. Even delicate fish might get a little light olive oil, citrus zest and the perfume of soft herb stalks, maybe tarragon, chervil and parsley.

Who first thought of covering meats in a liquid and what was their goal? Tradition insists this ancient practice evolved probably as a way of preserving precious meat. Using flavourings may have covered the smell and even flavour of bad meat. It can't have been long surely, before the early practitioners of marinating noticed the positive impact on flavour. In our hygiene-conscious age of refrigeration, marinating has become all about impactful flavour and satisfyingly deep colour.

Always boil (then cool) the wine for a minute to remove acidic alcohol, which "cooks" the outer surface of the meat, preventing penetration. Other flavours like garlic and herbs offer hearty backbone. Try a simple coq au vin to relish the marvel of marinating.

Recipes serve 4

Traditional coq au vin

4 chicken legs, cut and divided into drum stick and thigh sections

Few bushy sprigs of thyme

4 cloves garlic peeled

250ml fruity red wine

300g small button or chestnut mushrooms, quartered

6 rashers of smoky thick-cut streaky bacon, cut into fine strips

1 carrot peeled

20 pearl onions

Brown chicken stock

Butter and olive oil for cooking

1. Place the red wine in a saucepan with the thyme and garlic. Bring to the boil and simmer for one minute then remove from the heat to cool.

2. Place chicken pieces in a deep dish or bowl, twist two grinds of fresh ground black pepper over the meat and pour over the red wine, garlic and thyme. Turn the chicken over so it is coated then refrigerate for at least 12 hours, or overnight , turning the pieces over a couple of times during the marinating process

3. Place onions in a pan of water then bring to the boil and simmer for five minutes or so, drain and refresh. Peel the skins away and shave the root off, but do not remove it completely or the onions will disintegrate as they cook. Set aside.

4. Remove chicken from marinade and dab dry on kitchen paper. Heat a braising pot over a medium heat for one minute. Season the chicken all over with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Seal a few pieces at a time until they browned, then lift out onto a clean plate and continue til all the chicken is sealed.

5. Add a little more oil then add the bacon to the pan and fry gently until golden brown, stirring regularly. Meanwhile, quarter carrot lengthways then slice finely. Once the bacon is browned, remove onto a plate then fry the carrot until lightly browned, adding a little more oil if needed.

6. Once the carrots are turning light gold, add the mushrooms and brown these too, adding a slice of butter. After a few minutes, add the peeled onions and brown

7.Return chicken to the pan; add wine, thyme and garlic. Bring to the boil and reduce by half then add the stock, ensuring everything is just covered. Cut out a parchment paper disc, make a small nick at its centre to allow steam to escape and cover the pan with it. Simmer very gently until the chicken is cooked, about 15 to 20 minutes. Check the consistency of the sauce: if it is too light, lift out the chicken for now onto a clean plate and simmer the pan for a few minutes until the liquid evaporates slightly. Return the chicken to the pan and serve, with a green vegetable and some boiled new potatoes or potato puree.

Beef bourguignon

1 bottle red burgundy of pinot noir

Vgetable oil

60g butter

900beef rump diced

2 medium carrots peeled and sliced into coins

1 onion finely diced

1 rounded dsstsp flour

750ml beef stock

A bouquet garni: a few sprigs of thyme and rosemary wrapped in a piece of leek secured with string

2 cloves garlic finely sliced

16 small button onions peeled

6 rashers smoky streaky bacon, sliced finely

200g button mushrooms quartered

salt and pepper

1. Bring the red wine to the boil and simmer with bouquet garni for 15 minuets, to reduce by half. Remove from heat, cool then steep the beef in the wine for 12 hours, turning it over once or twice, then remove beef and drain in a colander set over a bowl, returning and juices to the pan.

2. Heat a braising pot on over a medium heat for one minute. Season the beef all over with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Seal small batches at a time until they are browned, in hot oil and brown foaming butter, then lift out onto a clean plate and continue until all the meat is sealed.

3. Add a little more oil then the bacon to the pan and fry gently until golden brown, stirring regularly. Once the bacon is browned, remove onto a plate then fry the carrot and onion until lightly browned, adding a little more oil and butter if needed.

4. Once the carrots are turning light gold, add the mushrooms and brown them, adding a slice of butter. After a few minutes, add the peeled onions and brown

5. Return beef to the pan and add the red wine and bouquet garni. Bring to the boil and reduce by half then add the stock, ensuring everything is just covered. Cover with a parchment paper disc, as with above recipe. Simmer very gently until the beef is cooked, about 80 minutes or pre heat the oven to 180C and braise in a covered pot until tender.

6. Check the consistency of the sauce: if too light, lift out the meat onto a clean plate or bowl and simmer the pan for a few minutes until the liquid evaporates slightly. Return meat to pan and serve, with a green vegetable of and some boiled new potatoes or potato puree.

Geoffrey Smeddle is chef patron of The Peat Inn, by St Andrews, Fife,KY15 5LH 01334 840206 www.thepeatinn.co.uk