I can't believe it's not butter turkey!
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| Only the best screw-top chardonnay for us. |
This year I opted for Cornish game hens. What's in a name? Not a whole lot, apparently, as Wikipedia says that they are neither game nor necessarily hens (female). In short, they are little domesticated chickens sold whole. Throughout the day, they were referred to as chicken, turkey, hens, and Cornish game hens. I still have half of a turkey in the freezer from last year, and since I don't like wasting food, hens were the perfect choice. Bonus: tiny wishbones for everyone!
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| Aren't they so cute?! |
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| Pocket poultry pals! |
The wonders of Google led me to a recipe for these little guys on Allrecipes.com:
Ingredients
- 4 Cornish game hens
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 24 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup white wine
- 1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, for garnish
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
- Rub hens with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Lightly season hens with salt and pepper. Place 1 lemon wedge and 1 sprig rosemary in cavity of each hen. Arrange in a large, heavy roasting pan, and arrange garlic cloves around hens. Roast in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a mixing bowl, whisk together wine, chicken broth, and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil; pour over hens. Continue roasting about 25 minutes longer, or until hens are golden brown and juices run clear. Baste with pan juices every 10 minutes.
- Transfer hens to a platter, pouring any cavity juices into the roasting pan. Tent hens with aluminum foil to keep warm. Transfer pan juices and garlic cloves to a medium saucepan and boil until liquids reduce to a sauce consistency, about 6 minutes. Cut hens in half lengthwise and arrange on plates. Spoon sauce and garlic around hens. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, and serve.
As mentioned previously, I did not have a lemon or chicken broth, so I improvised with Cuties oranges. I substituted the minced garlic in the big jug from Costco for the whole cloves.
I have lots of fresh rosemary from my front yard, so I braved the rain (after changing my slippers) and picked several sprigs.
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| Rosemary is the only thing I can grow. |
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| Hi Francis! |
Excellent job. Plus the wishbone per person, Dry and make New Year Wishes, cold be a new tradition.
ReplyDeleteHere is my favorite way to Game Hen
rinse and pat dey
take one small block of chream cheese. 1 garlic clove ( or two sheesh) minch/press and work into the block of chream cheese.
stuff the cavity of bird with the cheese.
roast in oven, I use a clay pot cooker for this.
To serve, cut bird in half, use the melted cream cheese on good crusty bread like butter, or to sop up the juices
Eat like Tom Jones or Henry VIII
One row over , behind Michael
Oh for frack sake when will I learn to type
ReplyDeletecream cheese ( not once but TWICE!)
ORO,BM ( gold shit?)