Serves 4

Serving the guinea fowl with creamy vegetables is a great way to appreciate its full flavour. You could also serve quail or pheasant breasts in the same way. As with all game, because the meat is leaner than farmed animals or birds, you need to cook it carefully to prevent it from becoming dry and tough.

Olive oil, for cooking
100g bacon, cut into cubes
Handful of thyme sprigs
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
Half a celeriac, peeled and diced
Half a small savoy cabbage, finely shredded
200ml single cream
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
4 guinea fowl breasts, about 125g each

1 Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan. Add the bacon and fry for a few minutes until it starts to turn golden at the edges. Remove the leaves from half of the thyme sprigs and add to the pan with the garlic. Stir in the carrot and celeriac and cook over a moderate heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring regularly.

2 Add the shredded cabbage and cook for 3-4 minutes, then add the cream, salt and pepper and some freshly grated nutmeg. Simmer for a few minutes until the cream has thickened and the cabbage is tender. Keep warm.

3 Trim the guinea fowl breasts to neaten, and rub the skin with olive oil and seasoning. Heat a heavy-based non-stick frying pan, then fry the breasts skin-side down with the remaining thyme for 4-5 minutes. Flip the breasts over and finish cooking the other side for 1-2 minutes. The meat should be very slightly pink in the middle.

4 Spoon the creamy winter vegetables into the middle of four warm plates. Slice each guinea fowl breast horizontally into three and arrange on top of the vegetables.

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