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Guinea Fowl

Appears in
What to Eat Now (Spring & Summer)
What to Eat Now (Spring & Summer)

By Valentine Warner

Published 2009

  • About

Guinea fowl is widely available, but I would like to see it on more tables. The French, who have an enthusiastic hunger for this bird (or pintard, as they call it), also describe it as ‘joli-laide’, as in ‘ugly-beautiful’. Even with its blue-faced vulturine look, I think the guinea fowl is much more pretty than grotesque, in its beautiful spotted frock. But on being woken by their infernal dawn racket, one could only remark when seeing them sizzling through the oven door; ‘they had it coming.’

I could say to those who have not tried guinea fowl the inevitable, ‘it tastes rather like chicken,’ but it is chicken with intrigue and definitely worth investigating for its pleasantly gamey taste. This bird, indigenous to Africa, responds well to unisons with ingredients such as fennel, Puy lentils and French mustard. Pretty much any method of cooking can be applied. It is delicious braised (very good with chicory), roasted or fried. But be careful when cooking guinea fowl, as although its legs are well fatted the high-arching and slim breast gives no lenience to overcooking.

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