Grilled Guinea Fowl with Braised Chestnuts

Name: Grilled Guinea Fowl with Braised Chestnuts
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: groundnut oil; 2 fl oz (50 ml) sieved tomato (passata); a sprig of fresh thyme; salt and freshly ground black pepper; ½ teaspoon ground mace; 12 small carrots, peeled; 2 rashers streaky bacon; 2 × 2 lb (900 g) guinea fowl; 12 pickling onions, peeled; 8 peeled chestnuts; 2 fl oz (50 ml) red wine

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Complex

Appears in

Shaun Hill's Cookery Book

By Shaun Hill

Published 1990

About

The appreciation of chestnuts came to me only recently. They are rather sweet and a nuisance to shell. Luckily they are now available vacuum packed. Their flavour marries well with spices like mace and nutmeg in pheasant or guinea fowl dishes.

Ingredients

2 × 2 lb (900 g) guinea fowl
groundnut oil

Main course
Gluten-free

Method

The Birds

Divide the guinea fowl into breast fillets and legs. Chop the carcasses in two.
Remove the skin from the breasts and lightly bat them out between sheets of cling film. You don’t need to bat them until they are thin but just until they are of even thickness. This is because you will want to grill them until they are just done but still moist and