Despite its name, it does not appear on the monuments of ancient Egypt where chickens, pigeons, geese and other birds are depicted. But certainly the Egyptians captured it and brought it to their tables. In Greece she was so appreciated that the first farms were started. She had the honor of being mentioned by Aristotle and according to some scholars she also appears in the works of Sophocles. Even the ancient Romans enjoyed her tender meat with a delicate taste of game. The great agronomist Lucio Giunio Moderato, author of a monumental treatise, De re rustica, in twelve volumes, stopped to describe two species of Pharaoh: one with the fleshy protuberance of the blue head which he calls Meleagris, the other red pigmented which he calls African or Numidian hen.
Certainly if the guinea fowl has African origins, over time its consumption has extended to the whole world thanks to the Portuguese colonizers who brought it to the Americas but also made it known throughout Europe, where it soon became the protagonist of the tables laden with nobles , princes and kings.
Appreciated in large kitchens for its meat that has a consistency halfway between chicken meat and game meat such as pheasant or partridge, it is very versatile in preparations for a very delicate and tasty wild flavor whether it comes from farmed or has been caught in the wild. Among other things, its lean meat is low in calories and fat and contains magnesium, calcium, iron and vitamin B as well as more protein than chicken and veal.
The proposal we put forward for one of the important occasions of year-end lunches is signed by a great chef, superstar not only of cooking but also of TV, Bruno Barbieri, two-starred chef, long-time record holder of Michelin stars, no less than seven, before being beaten by Enrico Bartolini, a name that has always instilled fear among Masterchef competitors, being the only one to have participated in all ten editions of the format in which he has been joined, over the years, by Carlo Cracco, Joe Bastianich , Antonino Cannavacciuolo, Antonia Klugmann and Giorgio Locatelli. His recipe for guinea fowl in porchetta best expresses his gastronomic philosophy, inherited from the popular Emilian tradition of origin, brought to high levels of execution and treatment of the raw material and of the combinations in which he pours his international high school experiences.
The recipe for guinea fowl in porchetta
INGREDIENTS
4 PORTIONS
Pharaoh 2
Mountain lard 200 g
Foie gras 150 g
Pork net to taste
Cherry tomatoes 20-25
Garlic 3 cloves
Chicory 200 g
Sea lupins already purged 20-30
Tomato purée to taste
Fresh chilli 1
2 bay leaves
Oregano 2-3 sprigs
Parsley 1 bunch
Evo oil to taste
Salt to taste
Pepper as needed
PREPARATION
Clean the guinea fowls and cut them into breasts, then remove the fillets and cut them into cubes. mix the guinea fowl cubes in a small bowl with the lard and foie gras, also diced. season with a pinch of salt.
Book cut the guinea fowl breasts, season the inside pockets with salt and pepper, then fill them with the prepared mixture. roll up the breasts on themselves, wrap them in the pork net, cutting off the excess, then wrap each breast in transparent film and squeeze it tightly to compact the meat. remove the film.
Brown the stuffed guinea fowl rolls in a pan with a drizzle of oil and brown them on each side. transfer the meat to a roasting pan and place 16 whole cherry tomatoes to one side, with their stems, seasoned with the bay leaves, the whole chilli pepper, 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed, a small handful of oregano leaves, a pinch of salt and a drizzle of oil. bake at 180°C for 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, clean the chicory, cut it into pieces and boil it for a few minutes in unsalted boiling water. Heat a little oil in a pan with the remaining garlic, peeled and crushed, and 1-2 stalks of parsley. add the lupins and the remaining cherry tomatoes cut into quarters, sprinkle with a drop of water and a touch of tomato purée, cover and leave the shells open. remove the lupins and shell just over half of them.
Filter the lupins cooking liquid, put it back in the pan, dilute with a drop of water and let it thicken with a drizzle of oil. add the chicory and sauté for a few moments, seasoning with a little pepper. take the guinea fowl out of the oven with the cherry tomatoes, remove the pork net that surrounds it and cut 6 thick slices from each roll.
Coat the dishes with the sea lupins broth, arrange the slices of stuffed guinea fowl in the center and place the chicory and baked cherry tomatoes on the sides. add the shelled lupins and those in the shells and complete with a sprinkling of pepper.
