Pintades (Guinea Fowl)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •12-inch (30 cm) flameproof roasting pan
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Kitchen twine and carving knife
• •2-quart (2 L) saucepan with fine-mesh strainer
• •Tools specified by the referenced chartreuse entry, including its 1-quart (950 ml) charlotte mold

Instructions

1. 1

   Stage the chartreuse

   Have the prepared Chartreuse de Ris de Veau (No. 1220) ready in its mold. Its formula remains a separate finished preparation, exactly as the source intends. If it was made ahead and chilled, keep it covered while you prepare the bird and set aside a deep pan for reheating it later in a bain-marie, a water bath.

2. 2

   Dry and season

   Pat the guinea fowl dry inside and out. Season the cavity and skin with 1¾ teaspoons of the salt and ½ teaspoon of the pepper, then refrigerate it uncovered for 30 minutes. A dry surface browns; a damp one softens beneath the barding. Take the bird from the cold while the oven heats to 425°F (220°C).

3. 3

   Bard the breast

   Scatter the shallots, carrot, celery, thyme, and bay leaf in a flameproof roasting pan. Rub the bird with the softened butter, working a little beneath the breast skin without tearing it. Lay the fatback strips across the breast and tie them gently in place with kitchen twine. Do not cinch the bird into a hard parcel; loose trussing holds its shape while letting heat reach the thigh joints. Set it breast-side up over the vegetables.

4. 4

   Roast by temperature

   Roast for 20 minutes, then lower the oven to 375°F (190°C). Remove the fatback, pour ½ cup (120 ml / 120 g) of the stock around the bird, and baste the breast with the buttery pan juices. Continue roasting for 30 to 40 minutes, basting twice, until the thickest part of the breast reaches 165°F (74°C) and the thigh approaches 175°F (79°C). Temperature decides this dish, not the clock. If the breast is ready while the thighs remain below 165°F (74°C), lift the bird out, detach the legs at their joints, and return only the legs to the pan. The breast rests safely instead of drying while the legs finish.

   If the skin is still pale when the breast reaches about 155°F (68°C), brush it with pan butter and place it briefly under the broiler, the home equivalent of the salamander. Watch without looking away, then return to roasting only until the safe final temperature is reached.
5. 5

   Rest the bird

   Transfer the breast and finished legs to a warm board. Rest them for 20 minutes, covering only the exposed cut surfaces loosely with foil so the skin stays crisp. Pour any juices released during the rest into the sauce. Resting is part of roasting, not an interval to skip; it keeps the first carving stroke from emptying the bird onto the board.

6. 6

   Build the pan jus

   Pour off the excess fat from the roasting pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon and every browned deposit clinging beneath it. Set the flameproof pan over low heat, or scrape everything into a saucepan. Add the wine and bring it to a lively simmer, scraping until the fond, the browned foundation on the pan floor, dissolves. Reduce the wine by two-thirds, add the remaining stock and the resting juices, then simmer until about ¾ cup (180 ml) remains and it lightly coats a spoon. Strain, taste with the remaining salt and pepper, and take it off the heat. Monter au beurre, whisk in the cold butter a cube at a time, until the jus gleams. If it separates into oily streaks, stop. Ça se rattrape: whisk 1 teaspoon of cold water in a clean saucepan, then add the split jus gradually while whisking.

7. 7

   Warm and unmold

   While the bird rests, reheat the chilled Chartreuse de Ris de Veau (No. 1220) gently in its covered mold, using a bain-marie over low heat. Keep the water below a boil so the finished forcemeat stays tender, and warm the center to 165°F (74°C). Follow its own entry for settling and unmolding; the component remains whole, with its arrangement intact.

8. 8

   Carve and serve

   Turn the chartreuse onto the center of a warmed oval platter. Remove the guinea fowl breasts from the bone and slice them across the grain into generous pieces; separate each leg into thigh and drumstick. Arrange the poultry around the molded garnish, spoon enough jus over the bird to make the skin and cut surfaces gleam, and send the rest in a warm sauceboat. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Choose a guinea fowl between 3 and 3½ pounds (1.4 to 1.6 kg), with pale, unbroken skin and a plump breast. A properly frozen bird is an honest purchase; thaw it slowly in the refrigerator and dry it thoroughly before salting.
• •Fresh fatback protects without imposing smoke. If only unsmoked pork belly is available, have it sliced paper-thin. Smoked bacon pulls the dish toward another flavor entirely and competes with the sweetbread, mushrooms, and vegetables in the chartreuse.
• •An instant-read thermometer matters more than an elaborate roasting vessel. Guinea fowl gives little warning between succulent and dry, and the breast cannot wait for a stubborn thigh.
• •Use an unsalted stock with a clean poultry flavor. The pan fond and reduction supply the depth, so an aggressively concentrated or salty carton leaves the finished jus harsh.
• •Pour a white Burgundy with enough body for the sweetbread and butter, or a light red Burgundy served cool. Heavy tannin overwhelms the bird's delicate game note.
• •Refrigerate leftover poultry and chartreuse within 2 hours. Keep them covered for up to 3 days and reheat gently, adding fresh butter to the jus only after it is hot.

Advance Preparation

• •Prepare the Chartreuse de Ris de Veau (No. 1220) up to 1 day ahead according to its own entry. Chill it promptly in its mold, covered, then reheat it gently in a bain-marie while the guinea fowl rests.
• •The guinea fowl can be salted and left uncovered in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours. This seasons the meat more evenly and dries the skin for better browning.
• •The shallots, carrot, and celery can be cut earlier in the day, and the wine and stock measured into separate covered containers. Keep the vegetables chilled until the roasting pan is assembled.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 425g)