Roast Cornish Hens With Herbs
These small hens are big in flavour, especially when combined with the array of herbs in this recipe.
Number of servings : 8
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Type of meal : | Main Courses | Main Courses
Special diet :
Ingredients
16 garlic cloves, peeled
16 lemon wedges
8 small Cornish hens (about 1 lb/ 500 g each)
2 tbsp (25 mL) olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp (25 mL) chopped fresh rosemary, or 1 tsp/5 mL dried
2 tbsp (25 mL) chopped fresh sage, or 1 tsp/5 mL dried
2 tbsp (25 mL) chopped fresh tarragon, or 1 tsp/5 mL dried
2 tbsp (25 mL) chopped fresh thyme, or 1 tsp/5 mL dried
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
½ tsp (2 mL) pepper
2 cups (500 mL) chicken stock
2 tbsp (25 mL) soy sauce
2 tbsp (25 mL) Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp (25 mL) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp (15 mL) soft nonhydrogenated margarine
Directions
- Place 2 whole garlic cloves and 2 lemon wedges in each hen.
- In a small bowl, combine oil, minced garlic, rosemary, sage, tarragon, thyme, salt and pepper. Gently separate the skin from the breasts and thighs of each hen. Rub meat under the skin with herb mixture. Rub extra over skin. Arrange birds on parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Roast birds in a preheated 400ûF (200ûC) oven for 45 minutes, or until well browned and cooked through. Baste occasionally. Place birds on a platter. Transfer drippings to a measuring cup.
- To make sauce, spoon off fat from drippings. Place juices in a saucepan with chicken stock, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce, then bring to a boil. Cook for a few minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine flour and margarine. Stir into sauce and cook until just slightly thickened. Adjust seasonings. Serve hens with sauce on the side.
Bonnie says: This meal looks sophisticated yet comforting. Cooking with the skin on keeps the bird juicy, but there’s less fat if you remove it. If you can find only larger Cornish hens, serve half a bird per person.
Photo by Benoît Levac; Food Stylist: Marie-Éve Charron; Prop Stylist: Irène Garavelli.