Guinea fowl with chorizo, apricot and pine nut stuffing

It is the stuffing that makes this dish.  It can be considered as a sort of paella stuffing with the spiciness of the chorizo but also a sweetness from the apricots.

Preparation Time: 15 Mins

Cooking Time: 2 Hrs

Total Time: 2¼ Hrs

Ingredients

For 4 servings…

1                    Guinea fowl

2 rashers          Bacon  - streaky      

                     Olive oil    

                     Pepper  - black        

                     Salt          

For the stuffing

40 cl               Stock  - chicken       

2 tbs               Olive oil    

1                    Onion  - chopped     

2 cloves           Garlic  - crushed      

110 gms          Rice  - short grain    

2 slices            Chorizo sausage  - chopped     

60 gms            Apricots  - dried       

1 tbs               Pine nuts   

                     Pepper  - black        

                     Salt          

1 tbs               Parsley  - chopped    

To garnish

                     Watercress

Method

To make the stuffing…

Bring the stock up to a simmer.

Heat oil in a pan and fry the onion and garlic over gentle heat until soft but not brown.  Add the rice and chorizo and cook for a few minutes - stirring all the time.  Gradually add the hot stock, making sure all is absorbed between additions - until rice is just cooked.  When half the stock has been added, add the apricots and pine nuts.  Season and stir in the parsley.

Remove from the heat and cool completely.

To cook the Guinea Fowl…

Fill the cavity of the guinea fowl with the stuffing- reserving an excess to serve separately  Cover the breast of the bird with slices of back bacon.  Brush with oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Roast at 190°C for 1½ hours or until bird is cooked and the juices from a pierced thigh run clear.

10 minutes before the bird is cooked, put the excess stuffing in the oven in a gratin dish.

Serve the Guinea fowl with the reserved stuffing around.  Garnish with watercress.

Wine recommendations

A medium-weight red wine of a white that is not too aromatic.

Conventional

     Burgundy

Interesting

     Côte Chalonnaise rouge or blanc

     Côtes de Bordeaux

     Saumur-Champigny