258 GAME
GUINEA FOWL WITH A BALLOTINE OF THE LEG, MADEIRA JUS, BABY LEEKS, MASHED POTATO, AND SUMMER TRUFFLE Marianne Lumb private chef and 2009 Professionals finalist PREPARATION TIME 1 hour
COOKING TIME 1 hour 10 minutes
2 guinea fowl 40g (11⁄2oz) dried morels 3 litres (5 pints) chicken stock (see MasterTip, p.21)
SERVES 4 FOR THE BALLOTINES
2 garlic cloves, crushed 10g (1⁄4oz) chopped chervil, plus some sprigs to garnish salt and freshly ground black pepper 12 thin slices pancetta salt and freshly ground black pepper FOR THE JUS
300ml (10fl oz) Madeira wine 3 sprigs of thyme
FOR THE VEGETABLES
16 skinny baby leeks, trimmed 60g (2oz) unsalted butter 4 Desirée potatoes (see MasterTip, p.197) 1 tbsp olive oil 150ml (5fl oz) whipping cream ground white pepper TO SERVE
2 summer black truffles (see MasterTip, p.231) 2 tbsp white truffle oil (see MasterTip, p.22) sprigs of chervil, to garnish
1 Place the morels in a small bowl and cover with boiling water to hydrate for 20–30 minutes. 2 Heat the chicken stock in a large saucepan until boiling. Then reduce the heat and leave to simmer. 3 Remove the legs from the guinea fowl and cut away the backbone leaving just the breasts and the wings attached to the breastbone creating a crown. Set the legs aside and place the crowns in the stockpot with the chicken stock. Poach for about 20 minutes to render the fat in the skin. Remove and place on a roasting tin big enough to fit the crowns comfortably. Set aside. 4 To make the stuffing for the ballotines, take the legs and cut into the drumsticks and thighs. Remove the bones from the thighs and place the bones in the stock. Also remove any sinew and skin and discard. Take the drumsticks and remove the bones and skin. Drain the morels, reserving the soaking liquid. Place the drumstick meat in a food processor with the morels, garlic, and chervil. Blend until nearly smooth and season well. 5 For the ballotines, place the thigh meat between cling film and bash gently with a rolling pin to flatten. Lay out 3 slices of the pancetta so they are just overlapping and place the thigh meat on top.