Roast guinea fowl with chestnuts (Pintade rôtie aux marrons)

1. Heat the oven to 190 °C. Season the guinea fowl inside and out with salt and pepper and wrap it in thin slices of bacon.

2. Lay it in a roasting tin, drizzle with melted butter, scatter the quartered onion beside it and put it in the oven.

3. After about 25 minutes add the peeled (or pre-cooked) chestnuts and continue roasting, basting with its own juices.

4. Pour the white wine and the meat stock beside the roasting bird so the juices do not dry out.

5. Roast for about 60-70 minutes in total, until the skin is crisp and golden and the juices at the thigh run clear.

6. Rest the bird for a few minutes, carve it and serve garnished with the chestnuts and the roasting juices.

Tip: A festive, Christmassy dish. Guinea fowl has more flavour than chicken but is drier – the bacon wrap and basting protect it from drying out. Braised cabbage or mashed potato make it complete.