Guinea Fowl Fricassee

Finely dice two or three sticks of celery and peel and chop two or three cloves of garlic. If you cannot get hold of baby onions, also peel and chop a medium sized onion. Put a tablespoonful of olive oil in a saute pan, add the garlic and celery and soften over a medium heat until softened but not browned. Take off the heat and use a slotted spoon to remove the garlic and celery and put to one side.

Make some seasoned flour with flour, salt and pepper. Roll the guinea fowl joints in the flour and quickly brown in the saute pan adding a very little more olive oil if necessary. Take the guinea fowl out and keep to one side. Add two glasses of white wine to the pan and reduce over a high heat until it's just a few tablespoonfuls.

Re-add the guinea fowl and onions and garlic to the pan, add in the guinea fowl stock until the guinea fowl is not quite covered, and raise to simmering point. Cover the saute pan with a lid and simmer over a low heat for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile peel the baby onions if used and brown in a little olive oil  Picture   and add to the saute pan after about 30 minutes. Peel and slice the mushrooms, cook in a little oil for a few minutes and season with a few pinches of cayenne pepper. Add the mushrooms to the pan at about five minutes to go.

After 45 minutes or so take off the heat and sprinkle over a couple of tablespoonfuls of cornflour and then thoroughly stir in. Season well with salt and pepper. Chop the tarragon and add to the pan along with three tablespoonfuls of double cream  Picture  . Re-season with salt and pepper and serve with some steamed broccoli and some new potatoes  Zoom  .