Bored with chicken? Try this wonderful guinea fowl dish instead.
Ingredients
- 25g dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1.5kg guinea fowl
- 150g thick-cut streaky bacon, or gammon steak cut into short, chunky strips
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 8 small garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 100ml dry white wine
- 150ml chicken stock
- A little grated fresh nutmeg
- 25g unsalted butter, chilled
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Method
- 1. Cover the mushrooms with 200ml boiling water and soak for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Heat the oil in a small casserole. Season the guinea fowl inside and out, add to the casserole and brown all over. Lift out, then add the bacon or gammon and fry until golden. Add the onion and fry over a medium heat for 5 minutes until soft.
- 2. Drain the mushrooms, reserving the liquid, and slice any large ones. Add to the casserole with the garlic and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the wine and mushroom liquid and simmer vigorously until well reduced. Return the guinea fowl to the casserole, pour over the stock and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- 3. Lift the guinea fowl onto a board. Cover tightly with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, stir the nutmeg and butter into the casserole, and vigorously simmer until reduced to a well-flavoured sauce. Don’t let it go too far or it will get salty. Stir in the parsley. Carve as you would for chicken and divide between 4 warmed plates. Spoon over the sauce and serve.
Nutritional info
Per serving: 485kcals, 22g fat (8.1g saturated), 60.1g protein, 8.2g carbs, 2.4g sugar, 2.1g salt
Chef's tip
Guinea fowl has an intense ‘chickeny’ flavour.