Confit of Guinea fowl legs with prunes and honey

Guinea fowl has a very special, but subtle flavour that needs to be encouraged out – otherwise it just tastes like chicken.  This recipe does that and the result is stunning.  The legs are tender, succulent and the flavour exquisite.  It is worthy of any dinner party.

Preparation Time: 20 Mins

Cooking Time: 110 Mins

Total Time: 5 Hrs

Ingredients

For 2 servings…

70 ml              Fat  - goose

2 legs             Guinea fowl

10 cl               Olive oil    

For the marinade

1 tbs               Salt          

1 tbs               Sugar  - light brown  

2 cloves           Garlic  - crushed      

½ tbs             Rosemary  - leaves   

½ tbs             Peppercorns  - black, crushed   

1                    Bay leaf     

For the sauce

10                  Prunes  - pitted       

                     Water  - boiling       

2 tbs               Honey  - runny        

2½ tbs            Vinegar  - cider       

¼ tsp             Ginger  - dried        

½ tsp             Piment d'Espelette    

Method

Marinate the Guinea Fowl legs…

Mix together the salt, the sugar, garlic, rosemary, peppercorns and bay leaves.  Rub the Guinea Fowl legs all over with this mixture.  Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours.

To make the sauce…

In a heatproof bowl, cover the prunes with boiling water and let it stand for 10 minutes until softened.  Then drain the prunes and transfer them to a saucepan.  Add the honey and vinegar and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.  Stir in the ginger and piment d’Espelette and remove from the heat.  Season with salt and let it cool to room temperature.

To cook the legs…

Heat the oven to 170°C.

Pat the legs dry and put them, skin side up, in a small flameproof roasting dish – just big enough to hold them.  Pour in the oil and add the fat.  Transfer the dish to the oven and, when the fat has melted, stir the fat and oil.  Bake the legs for 1 hour in total, until just cooked, turning them halfway through.

Transfer the legs to a warmed serving platter.  Heat a skillet over moderate heat.  Add the legs, skin side down, and cook until browned - about 5 minutes.  Turn the legs and cook until browned on the other side - 3 minutes.  Serve with the prunes sauce.

Wine recommendations

The dish deserves a special wine but it can be a red or a white.

Conventional

     Claret

Special

     Corton-Charlemagne

     Meursault

     Montrachet 1er cru

     Saint Émillion 1er Cru Classé

     Volnay 1er cru