Savour food – Recipes are for Sharing – here’s one from my friends at Succulent Paris

Guinea Fowl with Hazelnuts

Whenever I am in Paris I spend a day with my friends at Succulent Paris because they live up to their name and I care for that.

Notes to the cook

This is a medieval recipe recovered by a food historian friend of my friends Aurélie Mahoudeau and Marion Willard who run Succulent Paris food tours.  It is easy to make and lovely with potato wedges fried in duck fat.  Guinea fowl is to the French Sunday dinner what chicken is to ours.  You’ll see why.  Where can you get Guinea Fowl in Calgary? Go to Greens, Eggs and Ham.

Ingredients

1       guinea fowl, cut into pieces

3 T    olive oil

¼ c    ground hazelnuts

1 slice bread, crumbled

1clove  garlic, minced

¼ c    fresh parsley, chopped

1 T     honey

½ c    port or sweet aperitif wine

Pinch  cinnamon

1 c     almond powder

1c      water

Salt and Pepper to taste

Method

1.  Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or Cocotte.
2. Add the meat and sauté until it is golden brown on all sides, about 40 minutes.
3. Make a “picada” by mixing the hazelnuts, and garlic and cooking them in a non stick skillet for about four minutes.  Remove from heat and add the bread crumbs, chopped parsley, cinnamon, honey and port wine.
4. Mix the almond powder and water and then strain it through a pointed sieve to filter the almond milk and then add that milk to the picada ingredients.
5. Simmer the picada for 6 minutes in a separate pan.
6. When the guinea fowl is ready, coat it with the sauce and serve.