Categories: Main courses

Guinea fowl with apples and “foie gras”, cardoons gratin

Here is my classic Christmas meal that works very well with a capon for more guests… You just need to adjust the amount and cooking time…

For 4 people

60g (1/4 cup) of salted butter
1 tbsp of marmite
5 apples
500ml (2 cups) of Jurançon wine
150ml (2/3 cup) of liquid cream
60g (2 oz) of foie gras

Cardoons gratin

850g (1 lb, 12 oz) of cardoons
25g (1 oz) of butter
2 tbsp of all-purpose flour
500ml (2 cups) of broth
150g (5 oz) of grated Gruyère cheese
100ml (1/2 cup) of cream
marrow bones (optional)

Stuff the guinea fowl with an apple cut into quarters. Brush the meat with the melted butter mixed up with the marmite. Place in an ovenproof dish, with the apples cut in 8. Pour the Jurançon wine and bake in the oven at medium heat for about 1 hour. During cooking, keep spooning regularly with the cooking juice. If it reduces too much, add some water.

When the guinea fowl is done, blend the cooking juice with the cream and the foie gras.

Present on a warm serving dish, surrounded by apples and with the foie gras sauce.

For the gratin, place the cardoons cut in pieces in an ovenproof dish (use cardoons in tin can or glass jar) and prepare the sauce.

In a pan, melt the butter, add the all-purpose flour and mix. Add the broth progressively, stirring constantly until the sauce is smooth. Add half of Gruyère cheese and the cream and mix. Pour on the cardoons. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese, and marrow bones (pre-cooked in boiling water with 2 bay leaves for 30 minutes), and bake in oven at medium heat in the same time than the guinea fowl, until it’s golden brown (but not dry!).

Fabrice