A simple roast for sophisticated guinea fowl. Serve with parsnip mash and sautéed broccoli with garlic.
Ingredients
- 2 guinea fowl (about 1kg each)
- 6 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 2 lemons, halved
- 4 garlic cloves
For the sweet-and-sour gravy
- 50g butter, at room temperature
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 500g shallots, halved
- Leaves of 1 sprig fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 75ml balsamic vinegar
- 600ml fresh chicken stock, hot
- 1 tbsp plain flour
Method
- 1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan170°C/gas 5. Wash the guinea fowl and dry thoroughly with kitchen paper. Season inside and out. Put 3 rosemary sprigs inside each bird and place in a large roasting tin. Squeeze a lemon half over each bird, then stuff the squeezed half, along with an unsqueezed half and 2 garlic cloves, inside each cavity. Loosely cover the tin with foil.
- 2. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and roast for a further 20-30 minutes or until golden and cooked through. (To check if they are ready, insert a skewer into the thickest part of the thighs – the juices should run clear.) Transfer to a platter, cover loosely with foil and leave to rest.
- 3. Meanwhile, make the gravy. Heat half the butter and the olive oil in a medium saucepan over a low heat. Add the shallots. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove the lid and cook for a further 15 minutes or until tender and caramelised. Stir in the rosemary and cook briefly, then add the vinegar – stand back, as it may splutter. Simmer vigorously until reduced and syrupy, then add the stock and simmer for a further 10 minutes or until reduced slightly. Mash together the remaining butter and the flour to make a beurre manié. Gradually whisk this into the sauce and simmer until thickened slightly. Season and keep warm.
- 4. Transfer the birds to a chopping board and remove the legs. Cut through the joint to separate into thighs and drumsticks, then remove the breasts in 1 piece and cut each into 3 pieces on the diagonal. Divide the meat between 6 plates, pour the gravy over the top and serve immediately with the Parsnip mash and Sautéed broccoli with garlic (see recipes).
Nutritional info
Per serving: 394kcals, 14.4g fat (6.1g saturated), 53.9g protein, 13.6g carbs, 8.6g sugar, 1g salt
Wine Recommendation
A fruity, relatively soft red such as Pinot Noir is the answer here – splash out on a fine red Burgundy, which relies on this grape.