Roasted guinea hen

This is basically the same recipe I used for roasted chicken , but I made a guinea hen (guinea fowl) from my Meat CSA , since I had one handy.

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Coat the guinea hen with salt, pepper, granulated garlic, rubbed sage, and olive oil.

In the cavity, place:

3 cloves of garlic, peeled 1/2 medium onion, diced

Lightly oil the roasting pan and place the bird in it, upside down.

Cook for 15 minutes at 425°F.

Flip the bird over, reduce the heat to 350°F, and add 8 oz. water to the roasting pan to prevent the juices from burning and make the gravy base.

Cook for another 35-40 minutes, then check the temperature in the thickest part of the thigh meat, making sure the thermometer probe does not reach the bone. It's done when the internal temperature reaches 170°F.

When done, take the bird out of the roasting pan, draining any liquid out of the cavity and into the roasting pan. Put the bird on a platter and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Mix a slurry of 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and 8 oz. water. Add it to the roasting pan of juices. Cook for at least 4 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly, adding water if the gravy becomes too thick. Add salt, pepper, and soy sauce to taste. Strain.

Carve like a chicken.

Made two 5 oz. servings each with 6 fluid oz. of gravy. Also made one 2.7 oz. serving of cut stir-fry meat that can be used in any chicken stir fry dish.

The garlic yukon gold mashed potatoes I made previously, vacuum sealed, and froze. By using the boil-in-bag technique the mashed potatoes are almost as good as when they were fresh cooked, and much more practical for a meal for one.

The sautéed cabbage is just thinly sliced cabbage sautéed in a little olive oil with garlic, salt, and pepper.

Served with Angeline pinot noir, reserve, California, 2008. It would easily work with a white wine (like chicken) but I prefer a red, so I figured a light red (pinot noir) would work.