Cock au Beer

By Channel 4 Food

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 guinea fowl or pheasant or a 1 large chicken, jointed
8-10 rashers of dry cured smoked bacon
8 shallots, chopped
200g button mushrooms, chopped
1 bulb of garlic
1 tbsp rosemary
2 beef stock cubes
6 juniper berries
1 tbsp of fresh sage
500ml bottle of local beer
1 chicken stock cube
Salt and pepper
1 baguette
Garlic butter

Method

• Wrap the bacon around the skinned cuts of meat and place into a hot pan.
• Add in the shallots and mushrooms - get some good colour on them this is where we start building up the flavour.
• Add in the garlic cut in half (I know it sounds like a lot but is calms down and smoothes out to give a wonderful sweet rich garlic taste).
• Add the rosemary and sage and add to the pan with the beer and a good chicken stock cube. Pop the lid on and simmer on the hob for 1 hour.
• When it has had an hour remove it from the oven and top with slices of crispy baguette then a little garlic butter (or just use a shop bought garlic bread and cut each slice down the middle again, but ensure the butter side is facing up).
• Return back to the oven for 10 minutes and serve.