GUINEA HEN w/GARLIC & LEMON SAUCES

By BobD

Ingredients

• 4-6 SERVINGS
• two The two garlic-rich sauces of this dish – one with slowly reduced lemon slices, the other with garlic confit and port wine reduction – provide maximum of flavor.
• • 3 lemons, thinly sliced crosswise, seeds removed
• • 1 pound peeled garlic cloves, plus 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• • 2 quarts of water with 2 tablespoons of salt added
• • 1 1/4 cup heavy cream
• • 2 Guinea Hens, 2 1/2 pounds each, giblets and neck removed, patted dry
• • Salt and pepper
• • 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup rendered duck fat
• • 1 carrot, chopped
• • 1 onion, chopped
• • 5 ounces ruby port

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from dartagnan.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Combine lemons and half the peeled garlic with the salted water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and let water evaporate completely. Pour in 1 cup of the cream and let mixture cook gently over medium-low heat. Reserve. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Season guinea hens with salt and pepper, then put in a roasting pan, and spread about 1 tablespoon duck fat over each bird. Turn birds on one side and roast from 20 minutes. Add carrot, onion, and the 2 cloves chopped garlic, and turn birds to other side, and roast 15 minutes longer. Remove birds from pan. Remove legs from birds. Lightly tent breast portions (still on the bone) with aluminum foil and keep warm.

3. While birds are roasting, make garlic confit: Combine remaining garlic cloves with ½ cup duck fat in a saucepan, and slowly cook until completely tender, about 20 minutes. Remove garlic with a slotted spoon.

4. After birds have been removed from roasting pan, heat about a teaspoon of the duck fat in the pan over medium-high heat. Add legs and sauté until golden brown on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes, turning once. Remove legs to a platter and keep warm. Deglaze pan with port, then pour in the remaining ¼ cup cream. Transfer mixture to an electric blender or food processor along with the garlic confit (reserving a few cloves as a garnish) and puree until smooth. Strain into a clean pan, season with salt and pepper, and keep warm.

5. Gently reheat the garlic-lemon sauce if necessary, then spoon it over one half of serving platter and lay legs on top of it. Cut breasts off the bone, then cut crosswise into slices and place them on the other side of the platter. Spoon the port wine sauce over them, and serve garnished with reserved garlic confit.

NOTE: Use duck fat that you have rendered and saved in the freezer (it keeps up to 6 months), or order from D’Artagnan or from a local purveyor of fine meats and poultry.