Guinea-fowl is a wonderful thing – beautifully simple to cook and absolutely delicious to eat! Its taste echoes the rich depth of flavour found in pheasant, but lacks the ‘gaminess’ which many people find off-putting. There is also none of of the dryness which can plague game, or poultry like turkey. For this reason, it comes highly recommended and if you haven’t tried it before, I strongly urge you to give it a go. You won’t be disappointed!

Because guinea-fowl has a richer flavour than chicken, it can carry the weight of stronger tasting accompaniments. For this reason I’ve chosen to pair it with cumin, coconut, lemon and a slight hint of chilli. These serve to ‘lift the denseness’ of roasted meat and provide a cleansing ‘zing’ to the palette.

To provide a little textural variation, I’ve also added chickpeas. These have a slightly higher carbohydrate content than other keto-friendly vegetables (circa 10-11g net carbs) so they should therefore be consumed in moderation. They’re packed with micronutrients however, plus they have a lot of dietary fibre; so are a nice addition to the low-carb repertoire if used sparingly!

In spite of the chickpeas, this dish is brilliant for diabetics and those on a ketogenic diet. What carbohydrate there is, is slow-release; so it won’t impact your blood sugar. Paleo-dieters can also dig in, as can those with a gluten-intolerance, because this dish is gluten free! No excuses therefore, so dig in!

Start by roasting your guinea-fowl. Very little fussing is necessary. If you wish to insert a peeled onion and a dessertspoonful of butter into the cavity , then this can only enrich the dish. There’s no need however; it tasted wonderful when I did it without, so it’s up to you. Season your guinea-fowl all over, then place it breast-side down into an oven-dish. Roasting it upside down for the first hour will mean that all the fat and juices sink down into the breast, preventing it from being dry. Once golden and brown on the underside, turn the meat over and re-season the top, making sure to provide enough salt that the skin crisps up and turns a fine, succulent bronze. This will take a further half hour to 45 minutes.

Peel and slice an onion, then sautée this in a little butter & oil, making sure that the butter doesn’t brown. Add chopped garlic and chilli, volume dependent on how strong you like things. Soften these until the onions are translucent. Then add a generous dessertspoonful of cumin powder.

Whilst this is filling the kitchen with a heady aroma, chop your cauliflower and tumble it into the pan. Drain a can of chickpeas and add half of this to the pan, saving the rest for another day. If you have a higher carbohydrate threshold than circa 20g a day, then feel free to add the whole can! Then pour on a centimetre depth of water and season. Whilst the water is reducing, open a can of coconut milk (make sure it’s full fat) and add this to the pan. I also like to crumble in a couple of chicken stock-cubes for ‘warmth’.

Take the guinea-fowl out of the oven (it should be golden brown and succulent) then transfer to a pre-heated serving dish to rest. Add any roasting-juices to your cauliflower-pan – this will add richness and depth of flavour. Then cover the bird well with tinfoil so that it doesn’t get cold.

Meanwhile continue to simmer your cauliflower mix on a low heat for 10 minutes or so, until the coconut milk starts to thicken. Add a tablespoon of desiccated coconut for texture and body, then stir and give the sauce a good taste. Depending on how much chilli you’ve put in, the dish will probably need a little sweetening. Xylitol is very much the low-carb, diabetic-friendly sweetener of choice. It’s 100% natural, doesn’t lose its sweetness in cooking (unlike tabletop sweetener) and behaves exactly like granulated sugar. I couldn’t praise it enough!

Once the taste is adjusted to your preference for sweetness & seasoning, remove from the heat and add a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Spoon the cauliflower mix onto your serving dish beside the guinea fowl. Make sure to pour over any delicious sauce left in the pan – this is no time to scrimp! Finish the dish with a generous handful of chopped herbs (coriander or basil are just perfect). Then simply enjoy!

Browse this and other recipes by picture on my pinterest page: country walks in ketosis pinterest.

Thanks for reading and bon ap!

Adam.