Guinea Fowl Galantine

17/11/2023

Guinea fowl galantine is a very refined and traditional dish, perfect for special occasions. Here’s how to prepare it:

Ingredients

1 whole guinea fowl about 1.2 - 1.5 kg
300 g of ground pork
300 g of ground chicken or turkey
100 g of raw ham
150 g of bacon
2 eggs
50 g of grated Parmesan cheese
4-5 tablespoons of breadcrumbs
Nutmeg to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Meat or chicken stock
1 glass of dry white wine
Aromatic herbs (rosemary, sage, bay leaf)
Garlic (if desired)
Carrot, onion, and celery for the broth
Precooked and sliced veal tongue (optional)

Preparation

Start by deboning the guinea fowl. This operation is quite delicate: you should remove all the bones without breaking the skin. If you’re not confident about this, you could ask your butcher to do it for you.
Prepare the stuffing by mixing together the ground pork, ground chicken or turkey, finely chopped raw ham, diced bacon, and the Parmesan. Add the eggs, a pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper to your liking, and finally the breadcrumbs. You should get a homogeneous mixture that is not too dry.
Lay out the skin of the guinea fowl on a work surface and evenly distribute the stuffing inside it. If you’re using the veal tongue, add it now in slices to the filling.
Roll up the guinea fowl with the stuffing inside, trying to give it a regular shape. Tie the galantine with kitchen twine so that it maintains its shape during cooking.
In a pot large enough to contain the galantine, prepare an aromatic broth with carrots, onions, celery, aromatic herbs, garlic (if desired), salt and pepper, and the glass of white wine. Bring the broth to a boil.
Immerse the galantine in the boiling broth and let it cook for about 2 hours over medium-low heat.
Once cooked, let the galantine cool in its broth, then remove the twine and transfer it to the refrigerator until it’s time to serve.
Serve the galantine sliced with a side dish of your choice or with sauces like mayonnaise or other cold sauces.

Curiosity

The guinea fowl galantine, like many other “in jelly” or cold preparations, has ancient origins, dating back to the Middle Ages, when it was used both as a dish that had the advantage of being preserved for several days and as an aesthetically impressive centerpiece for banquets.

I hope you enjoy this classic recipe and have fun preparing it!