ROASTED GUINEA HEN
Off-Stage:
Beets or other root vegetable: white wine vinegar; 1/2 t honey
Porchetta: (not pancetta) Small dice; well-rendered to cracklings and oil
This oil is a wonderful entrée to a variant of Pasta Aglio e Olio and works well as a first course
Roasting Pan:
A poultry rack; the rack in the roasting pan
Pour ½ cup white wine and ½ cup stock to create steam and lay the foundation of a pan sauce.
Prepare the bird
Remove the innards; usually not substantial enough to warrant a re-weighing of the bird
Stuff the cavity:
1 small Meyer’s lemon chopped into small pieces, larger than a large dice.
1 handful of fresh thyme/bay leaves
1 medium leek, sliced thinly
2 crushed garlic cloves
2 TB rendered porchetta oil with some cracklings
salt/pepper, coarse
The exterior:
Rub hen in and out with rendered porchetta
The cook
Roast 42 min per pound in a 200* oven, basting with rendered porchetta oil
Spatchcock the guinea hen and broil from bottom shelf for 8 min skin side up and then reverse and cook underside for another 7 min.
Let rest for 30 min