PEPPER-SEARED GUINEA FOWL WITH NEW POTATO CREPE

Steps:

• Using a sharp boning knife, remove each breast half from the guinea fowl and cut into 6 boneless breasts with wing handles. Do not remove the skin. Cover breasts and refrigerate until ready to roast.
• Again using the boning knife, cut down through the leg joint removing all 6 legs form the fowl. Carefully remove skin, fat, and tendons. Make a deep cut, lengthwise, down each leg and scrape the meat away from the bone. Cut the leg meat into strips 2 inches long by 1/4-inch thick. Cover and refrigerate.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place guinea carcasses in a roasting pan in preheated oven and roast for 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven. Drain off all fat. Using a cleaver, crack carcasses into small pieces and set aside. Place roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add wine and cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes to deglaze pan.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the mirepoix and sachet and saute for 3 minutes. Add the reserved roasted guinea bones, scrape mixture from the pan and reserve. Add wine and cook for 10 minutes. Raise heat and add 3 cups of chicken stock.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and strain through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan. Skim all fat and any particles from the top. Return to medium heat and cook for about 15 minutes, or until reduced to 1 1/2 cups. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Peel potatoes. Place them in a medium saucepan with water to cover over medium-high heat. Add salt to taste. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 12 minutes, or until potatoes are tender when pierced with the point of a sharp knife. Drain well. Cut, crosswise, into thin slices. Set aside.
• Peel onion and slice it, crosswise, into thin slices. Set aside.
• Remove leg meat from the refrigerator. Season lightly with salt and pepper to taste. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. When very hot but not smoking, add the meat and saute for 4 minutes. Stir in the remaining cup of stock and cook for about 15 minutes, or until meat is very tender and the liquid has reduced to a glaze. Remove from heat and scrape into a mixing bowl. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the same saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and saute for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Stir in potatoes and saute for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add to meat. Stir in 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
• Lay the crepes out on a clean, flat surface. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat one side with melted butter. Divide potato stuffing into 6 equal portions and place a portion in the center of each crepe. Fold the sides of the crepes over the filling. Starting from one open end, roll up each crepe to make a firm but not tight cylinder. Again, brush them with melted butter. Place on a small nonstick baking sheet and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Remove breasts from refrigerator. Season generously with coarse salt and cracked pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a saute pan large enough to hold the 6 breasts over medium-high heat. When very hot, place the breasts, skin-side down, in pan. Sear for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Turn and cook for 4 minutes. Remove to a baking sheet and place in the preheated oven along with the crepes. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until meat is just cooked and crepes are golden.
• Melt the tablespoon of butter in the same saute pan over medium heat, stirring constantly to scrape up solids from the bottom of the pan. Add morels and saute for 6 minutes, or until tender. Lay the crepes out on a clean, flat surface. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat one side with melted butter. Divide potato stuffing into 6 equal portions and place a portion in the center of each crepe. Fold the sides of the crepes over the filling. Starting from one open end, roll up each crepe to make a firm but not tight cylinder. Again, brush them with melted butter. Place on a small nonstick baking sheet and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Remove breasts from refrigerator. Season generously with coarse salt and cracked pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a saute pan large enough to hold the 6 breasts over medium-high heat. When very hot, place the breasts, skin-side down, in pan. Sear for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Turn and cook for 4 minutes. Remove to a baking sheet and place in the preheated oven along with the crepes. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until meat is just cooked and crepes are golden.Melt the tablespoon of butter in the same saute pan over medium heat, stirring constantly to scrape up solids from the bottom of the pan. Add morels and saute for 6 minutes, or until tender. Add reduced stock, remaining 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Reduce heat to very low to keep sauce warm.
• Remove crepes and breasts from oven. Lay one crepe in the center of each of 6 warm dinner plates. Angle a breast against each crepe. Spoon a generous portion of sauce over the crepe and fowl. Garnish with a sprig of fresh parsley and serve immediately.