Recipe: Guinea fowl with Beaujolais nouveau and blackcurrant

Name: Guinea fowl with Beaujolais nouveau and blackcurrant
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 beautiful farm-raised guinea fowl weighing 3.25 lb (1.5 kg), cut into 8 pieces plus the wings (thighs in 2, breasts in 2 and wings whole); 1 onion, 2 shallots and 1 carrot, finely sliced; A little thyme flowers, 1 bay leaf; 1.75 oz (50 g) + 1.1 oz (30 g) = 2.8 oz (80 g) of fresh or frozen blackcurrants; 1 bottle of Beaujolais nouveau village; 10.5 oz (300 g) of button mushrooms, peeled and quickly rinsed with water; 2.8 oz (80 g) of smoked bacon lardons, blanched and refreshed in cold water; 1.1 oz (30 g) of butter and a little oil, or 1.1 oz (30 g) of fatty bacon, cut into small lardons; 1.25 oz (35 g) of flour; Salt and freshly ground pepper

By chef patrick Asfaux 4.1/5 (13 reviews) · 🍳 26 made it

Recipe Guinea fowl with Beaujolais nouveau and blackcurrant - Chef Patrick Asfaux — Photo: Aftouch-cuisine

Prep 15 min

Cook 30 min

Total 45 min

Servings 6 serv.

A slightly original recipe to prepare to celebrate Beaujolais nouveau. Less quick than coq au vin but much more tender, guinea fowl with Beaujolais nouveau plays on finesse. The marinade from the day before softens the meat without harming it. Fresh blackcurrants burst in your mouth and give an acidity that cuts through the richness of the wine. Result: a velvety sauce without cream, just wine and reduction.

Ingredients for 6 servings

Adjust for

servings

1 beautiful farm-raised guinea fowl weighing 3.25 lb (1.5 kg), cut into 8 pieces plus the wings (thighs in 2, breasts in 2 and wings whole)
1 onion, 2 shallots and 1 carrot, finely sliced
A little thyme flowers, 1 bay leaf
1.75 oz (50 g) + 1.1 oz (30 g) = 2.8 oz (80 g) of fresh or frozen blackcurrants
1 bottle of Beaujolais nouveau village
10.5 oz (300 g) of button mushrooms, peeled and quickly rinsed with water
2.8 oz (80 g) of smoked bacon lardons, blanched and refreshed in cold water
1.1 oz (30 g) of butter and a little oil, or 1.1 oz (30 g) of fatty bacon, cut into small lardons
1.25 oz (35 g) of flour
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Step-by-step directions

The evening before:

Place in a container the guinea fowl pieces, cover with wine, sliced carrot, onion and shallots, 1.75 oz (50 g) of blackcurrants, thyme and bay leaf, salt and a few grains of crushed peppercorns with the bottom of a saucepan. Cover and keep cold.

The next day:

1 Preheat the oven to 375°F (190 °C) (gas mark 6+).

2 Drain in a colander the guinea fowl pieces and the vegetables, keep the wine.

3 In a casserole dish, roast the guinea fowl pieces in beurre meunière (butter with a drop of oil) or melted fatty bacon cubes, browning them on both sides, then add the vegetables and covered, leave to cook gently for 5 minutes.

4 Then add the flour and stir (singer) while cooking for 2 to 3 minutes, then pour the wine from the marinade, stirring with a wooden spatula, then bring to a boil, test the seasoning and place in the middle of the oven covered for 30 minutes.

5 Meanwhile, prepare the garnish. Cut the mushrooms into quarters, then heat a frying pan, add a little butter and oil, then when everything is hot, add the blanched lardons, sauté them for 2 minutes, then add the mushrooms, salt lightly and pepper with the mill and leave to cook uncovered for 5 minutes, then transfer with the juices to a small bowl.

6 The guinea fowl is cooked. Using a fork and a skimmer, remove the pieces one by one onto a plate along with the lardons (decant), remove the bay leaf, then blend the sauce for 1 minute and strain it into another casserole or serving dish that can go on the stove.

7 Put your casserole with the strained sauce back on the heat, add the guinea fowl pieces and the mushroom and lardon garnish with their juices and finally the 1.1 oz (30 g) of blackcurrants, then just bring to a boil. There you have it, it's ready. All you have to do is serve it in a fairly deep dish in the middle of the table.

Possible garnishes: celery purée (top choice), tagliatelle, sautéed wild mushrooms (porcini), but also fresh salsify sautéed in a pan or even steamed potatoes.

When everything had been devoured, I realized I hadn't taken a photo, so you'll only get the « beast », but please be nice, if you make this recipe, send us a photo, we'll publish it.

A chef's advice

The marinade from the day before is not just talk: 20 hours minimum in the cold, that's what changes the texture of the guinea fowl. The wine penetrates right through, the collagen becomes gelatinous, the muscle fibers relax. Without this wait, you'll have cooked guinea fowl but not tender.