Guinea hen to Crete

Grind the black pepper, the white pepper, thebay leaf, i whole cloves, rosemary, basil, nutmeg, juniper berries and cinnamon. Process until you obtain a fine, homogeneous mixture, without any large fragments: the spices should be evenly distributed throughout the salt and butter.

Mix 0.18 oz (5 g) of the spice mixture with 3.53 oz (100 g) of fine salt. Mix thoroughly until smooth. the mixture, so that the aroma of the spices is distributed without excessive concentrations. Keep the remaining mixture for other preparations, since the doses indicated produce a quantity greater than that necessary for this one. guinea hen.

Combine (0.42 oz) 12 g of the spiced salt with (3.53 oz) 100 g of the butter and work the mixture until you obtain a smooth cream. The butter should be soft and easily spreadable, with the salt and spices well incorporated and without visible lumps.

Clean the guinea hen, gut it, singe it to remove any remaining feathers, then wash and dry it thoroughly. The surface must be completely dry before proceeding: this way the butter will adhere better and the clay will be able to coat the paper without slipping.

Insert into the cavity of the guinea hen a tablespoon of the mixture of spiced butter. Spread it inside without pressing too hard, so as to flavor the meat during slow cooking. The filling should remain contained in the cavity and not leak out during tying.

Spread on the guinea hen (0.71 oz) 20 g of the mixture of butter, forming a uniform layer of about 3 mm. Evenly cover the breast, thighs, and hips: the surface should be completely coated in butter, with no exposed areas or thick accumulations.

Lega the guinea hen per mantenerne la forma, avvolgila in carta oleata pesante e rivesti completamente l'involto con creta morbida. Forma uno strato uniforme di circa (1.18 in) 3 cm, senza aperture o crepe: il rivestimento deve sigillare il cartoccio per trattenere il vapore e il sugo.

Metti l'involto in forno a (194°F) 90 °C e cuocilo per 3 ore. Mantieni la temperatura indicata per una cottura lenta e uniforme; al termine, la creta deve essere compatta e asciutta all'esterno, mentre il cartoccio interno deve aver trattenuto gli aromi e i succhi della guinea hen.

Porta l'involto ancora chiuso in tavola, sistemandolo su un piatto di metallo. Rompi la creta con un martello, procedendo con attenzione per non danneggiare il cartoccio sottostante. L'apertura deve liberare il profumo della cottura senza disperdere il sugo.

Trasferisci il cartoccio in un piatto di ceramica e taglialo con le forbici. Apri la carta direttamente al momento del servizio, così da preservare il profumo e raccogliere il sugo senza sprechi. Servi la guinea hen subito, ancora calda e aromatica.