GUINEA-FOWL (OR CHICKEN) WITH FENNEL, POTATOES AND BLOOD ORANGES

Guinea-Fowl (Or Chicken) With Fennel, Potatoes and Blood Oranges image

Do you know what a guinea-fowl is? Well, I don't. But I do know that this recipe works fantastically well with chicken (it's the only way I've ever tasted it). No blood oranges available? No worries! Use normal ones. Yes, it does taste good with normal ones. Did I just say good?!? I meant DELICIOUS! If you love fennel (not many people do, though) and olives (so many people who don't...) this recipe is for you! Have I told you already that it tastes WONDERFUL? I did? Then go ahead, buy the ingredients, cook it and don't forget to let me know how you liked it! Bye the way, the birds need to marinate for a day, so it's a good idea to marinate it either the evening ahead (if it's for lunch) or in the morning (if it's for dinner). Preparation time is estimated. Cooking time does not include chilling time. Recipe is by fantastic Jamie Oliver.

Provided by tigerduck

Time 1h45m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

2 (1 1/4 kg) guinea fowl (each ca 1.2kg (2 1/2lb, or chicken)
1/2 cup gin
1 tablespoon fennel seed
1/4 cup fresh rosemary, leaves picked
1/4 cup fresh thyme, leaves picked
1 bulb of garlic, crushed
5 blood oranges (zest and juice)
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
2 kg potatoes, peeled and halved (4 1/2lb)
2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and each cut into 8 pieces, herby tops reserved (large)
1/2 cup black olives, destoned

Steps:

Cut the guinea-fowl legs away from the breast meat. This is because they take different times to cook, and you want to get it perfect.
MARINADE----------------------.
Bash up the fennel seeds, half the rosemary, half the thyme and the garlic in a pestle and mortar.
Mix in the gin and the zest and juice of the oranges with 5 tablespoons of olive oil.
Season with black pepper only.
Get yourself a big sandwich bag (or something similar, Jamie suggests a clean (!) bin liner). Make sure there are no holes in it.
Push the guinea-fowl legs and breasts down into one corner of the bag, then add the marinade.
Squeeze out all the air you can and tie a knot in the bag. Put it in a bowl or on a large plate and keep it in the fridge for a day, turning the bag over when you remember.
GET READY TO ROAST---------------.
Preheat your oven to 250°C / 450°F / gas 8.
Parboil the potatoes in boiling salted water for about 5 minutes, then add the fennel, continue to boil for five minutes more and drain.
Remove the guinea fowl from the fridge, drain away the marinade, and place the meat on a board.
Use a piece of kitchen towel to blot off any excess moisture from the meat.
ROAST----------------------.
Put the legs into a big roasting tray and roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Take the tray out of the oven - you should have a nice bit of fat in the bottom. Remove the legs to a plate.
Put the potatoes, fennel and the rest of the thyme and rosemary into the tray and give it a really good shake about.
Put the legs back in the tray, along with the breast meat, which should be skin side up.
Place in the oven for about 30 minutes, until both the skin of the breast meat and the potatoes are nice and golden.
Remove from the oven, sprinkle with olives and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
SERVE---------------------.
To serve, cut the guinea-fowl into chunks.
Divide a bit of everything between you plates and sprinkle with the herby fennel tops.
TRY THIS------------------.
Make a blood orange dressing with the juice of an orange and the same amount of olive oil.
Season and drizzle it over everything.