This flavorful bird, native to Africa and known as cacabe or criaille guinea fowl, may not win fans with its distinctive call—it prefers running over flying. But on the plate, it's a winner. As an avid home cook with years of experience preparing game birds, I've found it shines brightest paired with cabbage in this simple yet gourmet dish.
After searing the guinea fowl pieces in a sauté pan, I braise them low and slow in a casserole in the oven alongside tender cabbage, smoked pork belly, and aromatic herbs. The result? A tender, juicy meal that's become a staple at our table.
Blanching the cabbage in boiling water with baking soda ensures it's soft and sweet without bitterness. Let's dive into the recipe.
Ingredients:
1 guinea fowl, cut into 8 pieces
1 small white cabbage
100g smoked pork belly
2 shallots
2 cloves of garlic
50 cl chicken broth
10 cl dry white wine
1 sprig of thyme
1 sprig of rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon duck fat
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Remove the outer leaves from the cabbage, cut out the core, quarter it, and rinse under cold water. Add 1 tablespoon baking soda to the boiling water, blanch the cabbage quarters for 5 minutes, drain, cool, and slice into strips.
In a sauté pan, heat the duck fat and brown the guinea fowl pieces. Remove and set aside. In the same pan, brown the pork belly cut into strips, then set aside, skimming excess fat.
Preheat oven to 200°C.
In a casserole dish, layer the pork belly, minced shallots, crushed garlic, cabbage strips, and guinea fowl pieces. Add thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Pour in white wine and chicken broth, cover, and bake for 1 hour.
Remove herbs and serve hot from the casserole for maximum flavor.
