Guinea Fowl Ballotins with Cranberries

Makes 4

Ingredients

• 4 guinea fowl breasts, skin removed
• 120g dried cranberries
• 50g butter, softened
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 4 bacon rashers

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200C.
2. Put the cranberries in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let it soak for 10 minutes, then drain.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the butter, garlic, thyme, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
4. Place each guinea fowl breast between 2 sheets of cling film and gently use a rolling pin or meat mallet to flatten and thin out the breast, until it is about 1cm in thickness.
5. Spread the seasoned butter over each breast, then sprinkle the cranberries over the butter.
6. Roll each breast up, starting at the shorter end, until it forms a tight ball. Wrap a bacon rasher around each ball, then use kitchen string to tightly tie each one up.
7. Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof frying pan over medium heat. Add the ballotins and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown.
8. Transfer the frying pan to the oven and cook for a further 10-15 minutes until the guinea fowl is cooked through.
9. Remove the ballotins from the frying pan and let them rest for 5 minutes before removing the string and slicing them.

Verdict and Serving Suggestions

These guinea fowl ballotins with cranberries are packed full of flavour and make for an impressive party dish. Serve them with roasted vegetables or a side salad for a complete meal.