French Guinea with Balsamic Peach Chutney

First you must find someone who raises French guineas, for this, look no further than East Fork Farm. These are not the standard guineas you are thinking of, usually found perched on the beams of just about every drafty barn. Less common French guineas are fantastic meat birds yielding dark meat with rich stores of flavorful yellow fat. Fruit is the prefect match for this bird, spooned warm over each bite. The summery sweetness of fresh peaches reduced with tangy balsamic is by far the way to go. A hint of basil finishes things off right.

Let us raise a glass to summer, to peaches, to special fowl, and to our adored agriculturists.

French Guinea with Balsamic Peach Chutney:

*1 fresh French guinea

*1 sweet onion, quartered

*3 whole garlic cloves

*sea salt and pepper

*1/2 cup high quality balsamic vinegar

*3 ripe peaches, peeled and chopped

*7-10 fresh basil leaves, bundled with cooking twine

Preheat oven to 400. Rinse guinea. Place in a parchment lined baking dish. Pat dry with paper towels. Place onion and garlic in chest cavity. Season bird with ample sea salt and pepper. Bake until cooked through and golden brown. Remove from heat and allow to rest while preparing chutney.

Place a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Add balsamic. Bring to very gentle simmer. Reduce heat until balsamic no longer bubbles but steams. Reduce by over half, swirling pan as liquid thickens. Add peaches. Increase heat to medium and simmer until peaches cook down and liquid thickens to a thick sauce. Add bundle of basil leaves to sauce and stir until completely wilted and fragrant. Remove with a slotted spoon.

Carve guinea and plate. Spoon chutney over meat. Garnish with fresh basil leaves. Enjoy.