Guinea fowl tagine

Ingredients
1 guinea fowl

a little olive oil
2 carrots, cut into chunks
2 red onions, cut into chunks
6 dried prunes, dates or figs
rind 1 preserved lemon, cut into strips
1 mintsprig, leaves chopped
harissa to serve
For the chermoula
1 large red onion, roughly chopped
1 large garlic clove
1½ cm piece fresh root ginger, roughly chopped
100ml olive oil
100ml lemon juice
½ tsp Thai fish sauce
1 heaped tsp honey
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground paprika
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp hot chilli powder
1 handful flat-leaf parsley
1 handful coriander
For the couscous
200g couscous
1 tsp salt
100g butter, cubed
1 small handful sultanas

Method
The day before cooking, put all the ingredients for the chermoula in a blender and process until smooth. Pour over the bird and marinate in the fridge overnight.

Next day, heat oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas 7. Scrape the chermoula marinade off the bird and set aside. Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan and brown the bird on all sides over a high heat. Put the carrots, onions, fruit and reserved chermoula into the tagine and place the guinea fowl on top. Pour in about 400ml water – enough to come 1cm from the top of the tagine base. Cover and cook in the oven for about 45 mins, then turn the heat down to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and cook for another 45 mins.

About 15 mins before serving, rinse the couscous in cold water and put in a shallow bowl. Season with salt and scatter with the butter and sultanas. Pour on 200ml boiling water. Cover and leave for 10 mins or until the grains are plump and tender. Open the tagine at the table and stir the preserved lemon and mint into the juices. Serve the couscous and harissa separately.