For the past two years I’ve been able to obtain delicious guinea fowl from the Fermette des cent acres located in Saint-Rémi-d’Amherst. On their 100 acres of family land, two impassioned young men raise fowl on pasture land, and rustic pigs in the forest. You can find their succulent products in various area outlets, such as those of La Récolte de la Rouge or the Ferme aux petits oignons, as well as at Mont-Tremblant’s summer market, held every summer Saturday morning.

The guinea fowl is an omnivorous bird with dark plumage. It is about the size of a small chicken and the flesh is slightly musky.

I felt like cooking the guinea fowl with a boreal spice that grows in the northern regions of Québec. The smell of “five-spices” popped into my head, so I thought of the famous “nard des pinèdes”, which is the male flower of a bush called “comptonie voyageuse” or in English, sweetfern. The word “nard” refers to an aromatic plant used since antiquity for its perfume or essential oil. In this spice you’ll discover the complex odours of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove.

The cabbage I chose to accompany the guinea fowl is not yet well known in North America. Its name is kohlrabi, and it seems to have descended from wild cabbage and wild turnip.

Its flesh is sweet and crunchy, with a subtle radish flavour, whereas the stems and leaves taste like real cabbage.

I decided to complement the kohlrabi by cooking it sous vide with a knob of butter. I added a handful of haskap (honeyberries) to the creamy purée made from the cabbage leftovers. The guinea fowl leg was braised and scented with the nard des pinèdes. When it was time to serve, I added a few leaves of basil to bring an interesting aromatic touch.

It’s a comforting, yet fresh, dish!