BRAISED GUINEA HEN w/MORBIER POLENTA

By BobD

Ingredients

• 6 SERVINGS
• Fork-tender morcels of delicately seasoned guinea hen ragout take a sassy partner in creamy polenta with Morbier cheese.

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from dartagnan.com

Preparation

Step 1

Ingredients

• 2 Guinea Hens, 3 pounds each, giblets and neck removed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• All-purpose flour for dredging
• Olive oil for sautéing
• 2 large carrots, cut on the bias into ¼-inch thick slices
• 10 ounces pearl onions, peeled, with an X cut in the root end of each onion
• ¼ pound small white mushrooms, trimmed and wiped clean
• 12 cloves garlic
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 2 ounces fresh thyme sprigs, leaves stripped from half and chopped, the rest reserved for garnish
• Morbier Cheese Polenta (recipe follows)
• 2 pounds thin fresh asparagus, woody ends removed, sliced diagonally into 1-inch pieces
• 1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)

Directions

1. Remove first 2 wing joints and backbones from guinea hens (discard or save for stock), then cut birds into breast leg quarters and pat dry. Heat a large, deep, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Season guinea hen pieces with salt and pepper, and then dredge in flour. Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into skillet, add birds skin side down, and brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate and reserve, do this in batches if necessary. Add more oil as needed.

2. Add carrots and onions to pan, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. add mushrooms, cook for 2 minutes, then add garlic cloves and cook 1 minute longer, stirring. Pour in wine, stirring to incorporate all the vegetables. Bring to a boil, and reduce until wine has almost completely evaporated. Add stock and chopped thyme. Return guinea hens to pan and adjust heat so liquid simmers. Cover pan and cook until meat is tender, 30 minutes. Remove pieces from pan and spread out on a baking sheet to cool. When guinea hens are cool enough to handle, remove meat from bone in bite-size pieces, not shredded, and return to pan. Recipe may be prepared ahead to this point, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in sauce before serving.

3. Prepare Morbier Cheese Polenta

4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add asparagus and cook until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain, shock under cold water and blot dry. Stir asparagus into guinea hens. Taste to adjust seasonings of broth, adding butter if desired. Spoon polenta onto 6 warmed dinner plates. Serve guinea hen ragout over polenta, spooning sauce over hens and vegetables. Garnish with remaining thyme sprigs and serve.


Ingredients for Morbier Cheese Polenta

• 1 quart low-fat milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups instant polenta
• ½ pound Morbier or Gruyere cheese, rind removed, diced into 1/4-inch pieces

Directions Morbier Cheese Polenta

1. Bring milk and salt to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add polenta, stirring constantly until creamy, 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Stir in Morbier cheese, and continue stirring until melted. Taste to adjust seasonings if necessary, and serve at once.