FESTIVE SEASON 2013-2014: Roasted guinea fowl with quinces cooked in wine and citrus sauce - A bird that deserves our attention

Guinea fowl is not exactly the type of bird you would find on a typical, traditional Greek household table during the festive season although a type of it does exist in Greece (Fragokota in Greek). It has started though becoming more popular and this is nice because it is a tasty bird and also it's there to remind us that there are actually alternatives other than turkey and chicken. Year in year out with the same kind of bird at the Festive table can easily put some people off and guinea fowl gives us the chance to try something different. In this recipe, which is nice and simple, the bird collaborates with quinces. This (ugly, I agree but...) precious Winter time fruit is so versatile since it can so easily be used in various sweet and savoury dishes

Merry Christmas to you all!!!

Recipe of Nicki Mytarea,
"Cook Book" magazine of "ETHNOS" newspaper

Ingredients (for 4 people):
1 ½ Kg of guinea fowl, cut in portions
1 Kg of quinces, cut in quarters (peeled and cored)
1 water-glass of sweet red wine
8 juniper berries
1 tbsp of butter
4 tbsp of olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 glass of fresh mandarin juice
salt
pepper

Method:
Preheat the oven to 220°C.

Warm the oil and the butter in a spacious frying pan on medium-high heat and sauté the bird until it is golden on all sides. Add the onion and the quinces and sauté for a few more minutes until the quinces are golden as well.

Pour over with the wine and allow the alcohol to evaporate. Then pour over the mandarin juice, add the juniper berries and season with salt and pepper. Stir with a wooden spoon and cook for 2 minutes.

Transfer the food with its juices into an oven pan (or preferably a clay pot with a lid) and cover the pan first with a piece of waxed paper and then with a piece of aluminium foil.

Put in the oven and initially cook for 30 minutes. Then turn the temperature down to 120°C and cook for another 1 1/2 hours until the bird and the quinces are cooked through and a nice sauce is left in the pan.

Serve on a serving platter while it is still hot.