This roast guinea fowl recipe is based on a Jamie Oliver dish I used to offer as a special for two in my restaurant in France — marinated overnight in blood orange juice and zest, gin, fennel seeds, garlic and herbs, then roasted with potatoes, fresh fennel and olives. The bird is the star — treat it well.

A FEW NOTES ON THE INGREDIENTS

Roast guinea fowl is widely eaten across France — less so in Spain, where you will occasionally find it but rarely. The speckled feathers and pest-gobbling habits make them popular with smallholders too, should you want to keep a few.

Blood oranges are the real thing here — Mediterranean in origin, and Valencia would be the obvious source. If you cannot find them, ordinary oranges work perfectly well. Mandarins add a different angle if you want to experiment.

Fennel can be harder to find in rural Spain, particularly outside the cooler months when it is in season. If fresh fennel is unavailable, fennel seeds do the job.

For the gin, Beefeater or Larios — whatever is to hand.

For the olive oil, I use Picual variety from Jaén province, where I live. If you want to know more, read about the unfiltered organic extra virgin olive oil from Noalejo that I use regularly.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 guinea fowl, legs and breasts separated
• Zest and juice of 2 blood oranges (or ordinary oranges)
• 1 small glass of gin
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp fennel seeds, bashed
• 1 sprig each of rosemary and thyme, plus extra for roasting
• A good grind of black pepper
• A good glug of extra virgin olive oil
• 4–6 potatoes, cut lengthways into slices
• 1 bulb fresh fennel, sliced (reserve the herby tops)
• A handful of olives — Picual if you can find them
• A little chicken stock for the sauce

Jamie Oliver Inspired Roast Guinea Fowl — The Method

1. The night before, place the guinea fowl legs and breasts in a food bag with the gin, blood orange zest and juice, garlic, fennel seeds, rosemary, thyme, black pepper and olive oil. Seal and turn to coat. Refrigerate overnight, turning before bed and again in the morning.
2. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 230°C.
3. Remove the guinea fowl from the fridge. Pat the pieces dry and set aside. Reserve the marinade.
4. Parboil the sliced potatoes for 5 minutes. Add the sliced fennel and boil for another 5 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry.
5. Roast the legs in a roasting pan for 20 minutes.
6. Add the breasts skin side up, along with the potatoes, fennel, more rosemary and thyme, and a good drizzle of the reserved marinade. Shake the pan.
7. Cover with foil and roast for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and roast for a further 15 minutes.
8. Transfer everything to a serving platter. Scatter over the olives and the chopped fennel tops.
9. Pour the remaining marinade into the roasting pan with a little chicken stock. Heat over a high flame, stirring continuously, until reduced. Pour over the meat and vegetables.

Christmas Day at Casa Adora, 2024. A glass or two of Cava while prepping on Christmas Eve, the bird marinating overnight, and the smell of blood orange and fennel filling the kitchen on Christmas morning. Guinea fowl rewards patience — separate the legs and breasts and respect the different cooking times, and you will not end up with dry and chewy meat. If you enjoy cooking game birds, try the Guinea Fowl Soup using Leftovers — a worthy second act for the carcass.

FOOTNOTE

This roast guinea fowl recipe is part of the Game Recipes hub — a collection of wild and seasonal recipes from Casa Adora and the road. Explore the full collection. Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef.