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Baked guinea fowl torte

Richard Phillips from Market Kitchen
Celebrate guinea fowl season with Richard Phillips' delicious individual pies, fragrant with braised cabbage, wild mushrooms and a rich wine sauce

Baked guinea fowl torte

Method

1. For the guinea fowl sauce: remove the breasts from the guinea fowl and set aside. Melt a little butter in a heavy-based saucepan, add the guinea fowl legs and fry on both sides until they are deep brown in colour.

2. Add the sliced shallots and fry until starting to colour. Add the thyme sprig, bay leaf and red wine and simmer until the wine has reduced by about half. Add the chicken stock and simmer until the sauce has reduced to the desired consistency. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and pass through a fine sieve.

3. For the wild mushrooms: melt a little butter in a heavy-based frying pan and lightly fry the shallot and garlic for 1-2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and lightly fry until tender.

4. For the braised cabbage: melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan, add the cabbage and stir to coat well, season with freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the stock, reduce the heat, cover and cook for 5 minutes or until cabbage is just tender.

5. Slice each reserved guinea fowl breast into 4 equal pieces.

6. Roll out the puff pastry and line 4 round-bottomed cups or sugar bowls with pastry, then line each with a crepe.

7. Into the base of each mould, put 1 tablespoon braised cabbage, then a piece of guinea fowl breast, then 1 tablespoon wild mushrooms. Repeat this process until all the guinea fowl breast has been used and the moulds are full.

8. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and pour 2 tablespoons guinea fowl sauce into each mould. Fold over the pastry to enclose and use a little beaten egg to seal. Turn the tortes out of the moulds, brush them twice with beaten egg, and make a steam hole in the top. Put them onto a non-stick baking tray and chill in the fridge for an hour.

9. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4.

10. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and the centre of the torte is hot. Serve each torte on a bed of lightly fried red chicory with a little sauce drizzled over the top.