Roast guinea fowl with prune and bacon stuffing
Serves: 4, or 2 with leftovers
Prep time: 45 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Martin Poole
Roast guinea fowl with prune and bacon stuffing
Serves: 4, or 2 with leftovers
Prep time: 45 minsTotal time: 
See more recipes
Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
952Kcal
Fat
49gr
Saturates
21gr
Carbs
34gr
Sugars
15gr
Fibre
5gr
Protein
66gr
Salt
2.7gr
Lucas Hollweg
Lucas Hollweg is a self-taught cook and food writer respected for his laid-back, homely food. He was named Evelyn Rose 2012 Cookery Journalist of The Year and is author of Good Things To Eat.
Lucas Hollweg
Lucas Hollweg is a self-taught cook and food writer respected for his laid-back, homely food. He was named Evelyn Rose 2012 Cookery Journalist of The Year and is author of Good Things To Eat.
Ingredients
- 1 x 1.05kg guinea fowl, at room temperature
- 50g soft butter
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 4 small sprigs of rosemary
- 2 medium onions, sliced
- 150ml Armagnac (or other brandy)
- 600ml fresh chicken stock
- juice of 2 oranges
For the stuffing
- 100g prunes, each cut into six
- 2 tbsp Armagnac (or other brandy)
- 75g smoked streaky bacon, finely chopped
- 25g butter
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 4 good pork sausages (about 300g), skins removed
- 1 x 28g pack flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, finely chopped
- 1 sprig of rosemary, leaves finely chopped
- 75g fresh breadcrumbs
- zest and juice of ½ orange
Step by step
Get ahead
Make the stuffing the day before; chill. It also freezes well; defrost and bring to room temperature before use.
- First make the stuffing. Put the chopped prunes in a small bowl and add the Armagnac. Leave to soak for at least 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a large frying pan until it releases its fat. Add the butter, the onion and the garlic and cook gently for 10 minutes until the onion is soft, but not browned. Cool, then mix with the remaining stuffing ingredients, including the prunes and their soaking juices. Season; set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6. Remove and retain the binding that holds the guinea fowl's legs together. Mix the 50g butter with the garlic and chopped leaves from 2 sprigs of rosemary. Loosen the skin of the bird at the neck end and gently smear the flavoured butter underneath to cover the breast. Season the bird inside and out, then push a handful of the stuffing under the skin at the neck end and fix the skin in place with a wooden toothpick. Re-tie the legs using the reserved binding.
- Form the remaining stuffing into 8 balls. Scatter the onion over the base of a medium roasting tin, add the remaining sprigs of rosemary and put the bird, breast-side up, on top. Roast for 15 minutes; reduce the temperature to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4 and roast for another 40 minutes, adding the stuffing balls after 15 minutes. Check the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, then remove the bird and stuffing balls from the tin; rest under a loose tent of foil.
- Put the roasting tin with the onions and rosemary on the hob and add the Armagnac (stand back in case it flames). Leave it to bubble until thick, then add the stock and orange juice. Bubble for 3-5 minutes; stir in any juices from the resting guinea fowl and season. Strain the gravy into a small jug.
- Serve the bird with the stuffing and gravy.
Chef quote
A guinea fowl is a good option if you feel there aren't enough of you to justify a turkey.
