French African Guinea Fowl with Maple Onion Glaze
As I mentioned in an earlier post, because of the amazing meat CSA we have with Applecheek Farm, we have been able to try a variety of meats, that we have never had the chance to eat before. Guinea Fowl is no exception. To learn more about Guinea Fowl and their status as watch-birds on the farm, please read this quick blurb from Applecheek.
I had never tasted a guinea fowl, let alone heard of one, until we were picking berries this summer , and were greeted by a flock of them, which at the time I thought were weird looking wild turkeys (hey, I am still growing into my status as a country girl)! So when I discovered that we got one in our CSA, I was absolutely intrigued.
I wanted to prepare a special “taste of Vermont” dinner for my aunt and uncle when they were visiting us for the first time back in October. So I took special care to choose a menu featuring the best local ingredients, including vegetables from our garden. I intended to save the guinea to enjoy for a special occasion, and their visit was perfect. I consulted one of my favorite cookbooks, Dishing Up Vermont: 145 Authentic Recipes from the Green Mountain State and found a recipe for Quail with Maple Onion Glaze. So I decided to tweak it to use with the guinea.
The dish was delicious, and the guinea fowl? One of my favorites. The taste is something like a cross between a chicken and a turkey – much more dark meat, which is what I like anyway. It was juicy and full of rich flavor, especially with the succulent sauce. I served it with pan roasted fingerling potatoes from our garden and a Maple Creme Caramel, which I will feature in a separate blog post soon.
This is a perfect dinner to serve to guests (probably feeds no more than 5-6 people with sides) and the leftovers and bones make a fabulous broth. If you don’t have access to guinea fowl in your area, I can suggest using quail (you will need 12 quail!) , like the original recipe, and I am sure it would be a perfect sauce to dress an autumn roast chicken or even a Thanksgiving turkey!
INGREDIENTS:
1 guinea fowl
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp dried thyme
2 TBS unsalted butter
3 TBS olive oil
1 large white or yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
½ cup or dry white wine or local light beer (which is what I did) + ¼ cup
½ cup of pure maple syrup
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 325 F. Rinse bird inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Season inside and out with salt, pepper and thyme. Heat 1 TBS of butter and 1 TBS of olive oil in a dutch oven until hot. Add the bird and brown on all sides, deglaze with ¼ cup of beer or wine. Place in the oven and roast with lid on for about 1 hour.
In a hot skillet, add remaining butter and olive oil. Saute the sliced onions, stirring constantly over medium heat, until onions are brown (about 10 minutes). Deglaze the pan with beer or wine. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Then add the maple and heat until the liquid thickens. Reserve and toss with the bird once cooked to serve. Serve immediately.
Diana@Spain in Iowa - November 1, 2010 at 2:33 pm
This is the first time I have seen someone cook with a guniea fowl. I am so intrigued and would love to try one. About how much did it weigh? … the search is on! Thanks for sharing this Jenn!
The Leftover Queen - November 1, 2010 at 2:57 pm
Hi Diana, it was about 5-6 lbs of I remember correctly. It was absolutely delicious.
Rosa - November 1, 2010 at 3:07 pm
That guinea fowl must be succulent!
Happy Samhain!
Cheers,
Rosa
peter - November 1, 2010 at 3:09 pm
I’m all for game meats and other bird types. I do like guinea fowl, just needs some fat. Grab some local bacon and wrap that breast…more locavore yummyness!
Pamela - November 1, 2010 at 3:15 pm
Same as Diana….. I have never heard of anyone cooking guniea fowl. Everyone I know that has guniea have them only for guard fowl and for keeping the wood tick and chigger population way down. Maybe going to have to start raising them myself.
Thanks Jenn for the delicious recipe!
Erica - November 1, 2010 at 5:02 pm
The glaze sounds amazing!I would love to try it!
ValleyWriter - November 1, 2010 at 9:00 pm
I’m a dark meat gal myself, so this sounds perfect!
5 Star Foodie - November 1, 2010 at 10:33 pm
I would love to find a guinea fowl to make in my kitchen, very cool! I love the sound of the maple onion glaze!
Stella - November 2, 2010 at 9:48 am
Nice, Jenn! I love turkey (don’t tell anyone:), so I’m sure I’d really like well raised guinea fowl. It actually sounds really delicious, especially with your sweet and savory glaze. I love sweet and savory anythings. It’s the best…
bellini - November 2, 2010 at 10:14 am
My bucket list is getting longer and longer…now I need to try guinea fowl. The bird looks so moist Jenn, I know it was the centerpiece!
Peter G @ Souvlaki For The Soul - November 2, 2010 at 5:42 pm
Great to see you showcasing even more of Vermont’s wonderful produce Jenn. The guinea fowl looks gorgeous! And that maple onion combination…mmmm!
kat - November 3, 2010 at 8:24 pm
Ok, more dark meat! Now I need to find some guinea fowl
Toni - November 4, 2010 at 2:59 am
When I lived in New Mexico I had a neighbor who had guinea fowl. They used to wander all over, including in our courtyard. They are the funniest birds!! (Beautiful, too.) Never thought about eating one, though. I now realize that was a failure of imagination on my part.
I think I’d try this with Cornish Game Hens, as we don’t have guinea fowl anywhere out here. Sounds Yummm!
Jenna @ Newlyweds - November 4, 2010 at 2:16 pm
I have heard guinea soup is the best also. I haven’t eaten guinea either, but I was the proud owner of a couple, loud yes!! But I live in the city limits and I didn’t want my neighbors to complain, so now they live at my In-law in the country and they love them! Perfect watchdogs indeed.
Your CSA sounds amazing.
Ben - November 5, 2010 at 12:51 pm
I just found a market in Mexico City that has a lot of local, organic ingredients including fowl. You are inspiring me to blog about this kind of fair and local farming. We all can make a difference. Great post and recipe, as usual 🙂
Alta - November 5, 2010 at 1:29 pm
This looks superb. I’ve never had guinea, but I do know of them – my farm friend has some as guard hens. Apparently they lay eggs too. Haven’t had the eggs yet, but my friend tells me the shells are thick!
lisaiscooking - November 5, 2010 at 6:20 pm
I really like trying different kinds of birds. I just bought some local quail to marinate and grill tomorrow. So, I’d love to try a guinea fowl, and the glaze sounds great. Can’t wait to hear about the maple creme caramel too.
Jo Romero - November 7, 2010 at 5:25 pm
Have never thought of cooking with Guinea Fowl until I saw your post – the recipe looks really good. I’m going on the hunt to see if I can track it down and try your dish. Thanks for posting, love your blog!