• Cook’s tips:
    • Remove the grill racks from a Weber, open the vents and make a fire in the bowl. Place the potjie on the fire once it’s burning at a low heat – the hot air will circulate around the potjie resulting in even cooking. If you don’t want to make a fire you can place the potjie on a gas hob.
    • Instead of chicken stock you can also make stock from the off-cuts of the guinea fowl if you’re using a whole bird.
    • Pasta noodles or dried fruit are great added to the top of the pile.
    • This potjie is delicious served with pot bread made with whole corn kernels and thinly sliced biltong.

    Guinea fowl potjie

    Serves: 7 - 8
    Cooking Time: 3 hrs 40 mins

    Ingredients

    • 8 pieces guinea fowl, preferably thigh and leg together
    • cake flour, for dusting
    • 50ml oil
    • 150g bacon rind
    • 4 garlic cloves
    • 5 large carrots, diced
    • 1 bunch of celery, sliced
    • 4 long-stemmed leeks, sliced
    • 80g butter
    • 500ml white wine
    • 1 litre fresh cream, optional
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 50g thyme sprigs
    • 50g fresh curly parsley
    • 250g whole peeled tomato pulp
    • 750g baby potatoes
    • 16 baby shallots, peeled
    • 1 litre chicken stock
    • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

    Instructions

    1

    Lightly dust the guinea fowl in the flour and set aside.

    2

    Place a medium (size 4) potjie on a low heat. Heat the oil in the potjie and fry the bacon and garlic until crisp. Remove and set aside.

    3

    Fry the carrots, celery and leeks until soft, making sure the leeks don’t burn. Remove and set aside.

    4

    Add the butter to the potjie and gently brown the guinea fowl pieces. Add the wine and let it reduce by two thirds. Add the cream, if using.

    5

    Carefully place the vegetables, bacon, garlic, bay leaves, thyme and parsley on and around the guinea fowl. Cover with the tomato pulp, the potatoes and lastly the shallots. Add the stock, season to taste and cover. Let it simmer gently until tender, about 3 hours 30 minutes. Never stir during cooking, only right before serving.

    Notes

    To drink: Guinea fowl needs a delicate and elegant red such as Flagstone Fiona Range Pinot Noir 2006.