GUINEA FOWL WITH
OVEN-BAKED RICE

.

Recipe is best started two or three days in advance.

• two kgs. Guinea fowl

• two cinnamon sticks

• Peel of one orange

• five litres good chicken stock

• 5O grammes unsalted butter

• 5O ml. olive oil

• two medium size red onions, finely chopped

• two cloves of garlic

• one fresh, small red chilli, seeded and chopped

• 200 grammes smoked ham, finely chopped

• two spicey sausages, blanched, skinned and coarsely chopped

• 5OO grammes basmati/ arborio rice

• Pinch saffron threads, to taste

• 5O grammes butter, extra, chopped

.

SPICE MIXTURE

• 20 grammes sea salt

• one teaspoon each ground cumin, coriander and cinnamon

• half a teaspoon each ground ginger, cardamom and nutmeg

• three quarter of a teaspoon ground allspice

• quarter of a teaspoon ground cloves

• four bay leaves

• eight cloves of garlic, chopped

• one tea spoon thyme leaves

1. Wash Guinea fowl and pat dry with absorbent paper.

2. Coat Guinea fowl inside and out with combined spice mixture, then cover and refrigerate for at least twelve hours.

3. Wipe Guinea fowl with a clean cloth and fill cavity with cinnamon sticks and orange peel.

4. Place Guinea fowl in a large pan, cover with chicken stock and bring just to the boil. Remove from heat, cover tightly and stand 30 minutes.

5. Remove Guinea fowl from stock and drain for one hour. Repeat blanching process twice more, leaving the Guinea fowl to cool in the stock the third time.

6. Remove Guinea fowl meat from bones and shred. Discard bones and fat and moisten meat with a Little stock. Skim fat from stock and reserve.

7. Melt unsalted butter and olive oil in a large flameproof casserole and cook onion, garlic and chilli over low heat until onion is soft.

8. Add ham and cook a further five minutes, then add spiced sausage and stir over heat until browned.

9. Add rice and saffron and stir to coat well.

10. Add one litre of reserved stock and bring to the boil.

11. Cover tightly and bake at 200C for about 30 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir rice with a fork, add shredded Guinea fowl and moisten with a little extra stock if needed.

12. To serve, dot with extra butter and reheat in oven at 200C for 10 minutes.

(This calls for the accompaniment of a fine red wine.)

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contributions - If you have a favourite 'traditional' recipe that might go 
down well along the East African Coast, do send it in to us and we can 
share your pleasure and treasure with our readers around the world.