Spit Roasted Guinea Fowl

Paint the guinea fowl with olive oil and season all over with salt and fresh black pepper. Thread on to the spit, and fix with meat retaining forks. Tie some string around to secure the legs, wings and body to the spit  Picture  .

Take a large foil roasting tin and cut and bend it in to size so it forms the correct size of drip tray for the two birds. Make a basting liquid from a couple of tablespoonfuls of each of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, two glasses of white wine and peeled and chopped fresh ginger. Add a little salt and pepper and then beat into a dressing. Put some but not all of it into the basting tray  Picture  .

Prepare the roasted squash  Recipe   and put to one side. Wash the pak choi and put into a steamer ready to go. Start up the barbecue with plenty of charcoal, and when ready make a trench under where the birds will be and put the basting tray into it.

Put the spit over the charcoal and start it rotating  Picture   and  Picture  . Baste the birds with the liquor from time to time and top up the basting liquor in the tray when required. Roast the birds until they are golden brown and a skewer into he legs cause clear juice to run, which will probably take a good hour.

About 30 minutes to go put the squash into the oven and cook until the flesh is tender which will take 25 minutes or so  Picture  . Take out when ready, use a spoon to scoop out the flesh into a serving dish and keep the dish warm.

About 10 minutes to go steam the pak choi for five minutes or so, drain it and then finish it in a pan over a medium heat with a little olive oil, chopped garlic and a few chilli flakes.

When the birds are ready take them off the spit, cover with foil and allow to rest for five minutes or so. Then put the squash and pak choi on to serving dishes, carve the birds, lay on top of the vegetables, pour over a little marinade and serve  Zoom  .