Guinea Fowl with Morels and Vin Jaune

⏱ 90 min · Serves 4

The great classic of the Jura: golden guinea fowl braised gently, then bathed in a heady sauce of cream, nutty vin jaune and plump morels. Deeply savoury, faintly nutty, unmistakably special — and easier than its reputation suggests.

Per serving: 712 kcal · 54.0g protein · 8.0g carbs · 48.0g fat

Ingredients

• 30g dried morels (or 250g fresh)
• 1 guinea fowl, about 1.4kg, jointed into 8 (or 4 legs + 2 breasts)
• 30g butter
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 200ml vin jaune (or a good dry oloroso/savagnin-style white)
• 150ml chicken stock
• 200ml double cream
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 small bay leaf
• Squeeze of lemon
• Salt and white pepper
• 1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Rice or buttered tagliatelle, to serve

Method

1. Soak the dried morels in 300ml warm water for 30 minutes. Lift out, squeeze gently, rinse briefly to remove grit, and halve any large ones. Strain the soaking liquid through a coffee filter or muslin and reserve.
2. Pat the guinea fowl dry and season well with salt and white pepper.
3. Heat the oil and half the butter in a wide heavy casserole over medium-high heat. Brown the pieces skin-side down for 5–6 minutes until deep gold, then turn and brown the other side. Remove to a plate.
4. Lower the heat, add the remaining butter and the shallots with a pinch of salt. Sweat for 4 minutes until soft but not coloured, then add the garlic for 30 seconds.
5. Pour in the vin jaune, scrape the base and let it bubble for 2 minutes. Add the strained morel liquid (leaving the last spoonful behind), the stock and the bay leaf.
6. Return the legs to the pan, cover and simmer very gently for 25 minutes. Add the breasts and the morels, cover again and cook 15 minutes more, until the breast is just firm and juices run clear.
7. Lift all the guinea fowl out and keep warm under foil. Boil the sauce hard for 5–6 minutes to reduce by a third.
8. Stir in the cream and Dijon and simmer 4–5 minutes until the sauce coats a spoon. Taste, then adjust with salt, white pepper and a squeeze of lemon — it should be nutty and glossy, not sweet.
9. Return the meat to the sauce to warm through for 2 minutes. Scatter with parsley and serve with rice or tagliatelle, plus a glass of the same wine.