Roast Guinea Fowl with Morels and Vin Jaune

Place the dried morels in a heatproof bowl and pour over the boiling water. Set aside to rehydrate for 30 minutes, then lift the morels out, squeezing gently, and strain the soaking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve lined with muslin or a coffee filter to remove any grit, reserving it. Trim any remaining grit from the morel bases and halve larger ones lengthways — dried morels can trap sandy grit deep in their honeycombed caps, so this straining step matters. Morels must never be eaten raw or undercooked — they contain toxins destroyed only by thorough cooking, so ensure they are fully cooked before serving.

Pat the spatchcocked guinea fowl thoroughly dry with kitchen paper. Rub the entire bird — including under the skin over the breast and thigh — with the softened butter, sea salt, and black pepper. Tuck the thyme sprigs and bay leaves beneath the legs.

Place the bird uncovered on a wire rack set over a tray and refrigerate for 12–24 hours to dry-brine — this tightens the skin so it crisps far better in the oven than an unbrined bird.

Remove the bird from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for 45 minutes before cooking.

Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Place the bird breast-side up on the wire rack over a roasting tray and roast for 20 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and beginning to blister.

Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (160°C fan) and continue roasting for a further 25–30 minutes, until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 74°C.

Rest the bird loosely tented with foil for 15 minutes.

While the bird rests, melt the 2 tbsp butter in a wide sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until softened and translucent but not coloured.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Add the rehydrated morels and cook for 3 minutes, turning them in the butter, until lightly golden at the edges.

Pour in the vin jaune and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced by two-thirds and the sharp alcohol edge has mellowed.

Pour in the reserved morel soaking liquid and chicken stock. Cook for 6–8 minutes at a vigorous simmer until reduced by half and the sauce has body.

Reduce the heat to low, stir in the crème fraîche, and simmer gently for 4–5 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Finish with lemon juice, taste, and adjust seasoning.

Joint the rested bird into four pieces — two breasts and two leg-thigh portions — and arrange on a warmed serving platter. Spoon the morel and vin jaune sauce generously over and around the pieces and scatter with flat-leaf parsley. Serve immediately.