Roast guinea fowl with mushrooms and thyme

Serves - 4

You’ll need

• 1 whole guinea fowl
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 25g butter
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 300g mushrooms, halved or thickly sliced if large
• 2 thyme sprigs, leaves picked, plus a few extra leaves to finish
• 100ml dry white wine
• 150ml chicken stock
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Small handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

Method

1. Get the bird ready

Heat the oven to 200°C fan. Pat the guinea fowl dry with kitchen paper, then rub it all over with 1 tbsp of the olive oil and season well with sea salt and black pepper. Guinea fowl is a leaner bird than chicken, so a bit of care at the start goes a long way.

2. Start the roasting

Put the guinea fowl into a roasting tin or ovenproof dish and roast for 20 minutes. Then turn the oven down to 180°C fan and roast for a further 25–35 minutes, depending on the size of the bird, until the juices run clear from the thickest part of the leg. You want it properly cooked, but not left in there so long that it loses its charm.

3. Rest the bird

Lift the guinea fowl onto a board or warm plate, cover loosely with foil and leave it to rest for 15 minutes. This matters rather more than people sometimes hope. Resting gives you juicier meat and a far easier time when carving.

4. Cook the mushrooms

While the bird rests, heat the remaining olive oil and the butter in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for 6–8 minutes until they have given up their moisture and started to colour properly. You want them golden and savoury, not pale and stewed.

5. Build the sauce

Add the shallots to the mushrooms and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook for another minute, just until fragrant. Pour in the white wine and let it bubble for a couple of minutes, then add the chicken stock. Let it simmer for 4–5 minutes until lightly reduced and glossy.

6. Finish properly

Stir in the lemon juice and most of the parsley, then have a taste. Add a little more black pepper or salt if needed. The sauce should feel savoury and gently herby, with just enough brightness to lift the richness of the mushrooms.

7. Carve and serve

Carve the guinea fowl into neat pieces and serve with the mushrooms and thyme sauce spooned alongside or over the top. Scatter over the remaining parsley and a few extra thyme leaves. Very good with roast potatoes, buttered greens or something soft and creamy to catch the juices.

A couple of helpful notes
- If your guinea fowl is especially small, start checking it a little earlier so it does not dry out.
- Chestnut mushrooms work very nicely here, but a mix of wild mushrooms makes it feel a little more luxurious if that is the mood.
- A spoonful of crème fraîche stirred into the mushroom sauce at the end would not hurt if you want a slightly softer, richer finish.