Patrick has grown his culinary palate quite a bit the past couple of years and this meal was another one to add to the book. Prior to this, he never had Cornish Hen. Afterward, he became a fan and it was a great way to enjoy poultry with a twist. We had this on a typical weeknight but this is a dish that's perfect for guests. It's not everyday folks actually eat cornish hen, so serving it is already a treat.
The preparation of this easy - garlic, salt, pepper and a lemon. But it doesn't stop there! You can prepare cornish hen just as you would marinate or impart flavor to a whole chicken. The fun part is that the hens are a miniature version of a whole chicken. Use your favorite homemade marinade or grab a store bought marinade if its easier. .This garlic and lemon version makes for a good base to start with. As for presentation, I like splitting the hens in half, making it easier to plate up or portion out.
Garlic Lemon Cornish Hen
recipe adapted from Cooking Light
2 cloves garlic, minced1/2 teaspoon salt, divided1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided2 (1 1/4-pound) Cornish hens 1/2 lemon, halved and dividedCooking spray
Potatoes:
2 cups cubed Yukon gold or red potato
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 grated Parmesan cheese
1 stalk green onion, mined
2 tablespoons crumbled cooked bacon
1/4 grated Parmesan cheese
1 stalk green onion, mined
2 tablespoons crumbled cooked bacon
Preheat oven to 375°.
In a bowl, combine minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; set aside.
Prep the hens by removing the giblets from hens and rinsing with cold water; pat dry. Giblets can be discarded or saved later for a giblet gravy. Remove any excess skin and fat.
For each hen, place 1 lemon piece in the cavity of hen and tie ends of legs together with twine. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under hen. Repeat procedure with remaining hen and lemon piece.
Rub hens with garlic mixture. Place hens, breast sides up, on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl combine potatoes and oil, tossing to coat. Season with remaining salt and pepper. Transfer potatoes around the hens on the broiler pan.
Bake at 375° for 1 hour or until thermometer inserted into the hen's meaty thigh registers 180°.
Remove twine from each hen and split in half to serve.
Mash roasted potatoes coarsely and place in a large bowl. Add Parmesan cheese, green onion and bacon. Transfer to a baking dish and serve.
Gorgeous and simple comfort food! It looks amazing.
ReplyDeleteI've never made cornish hens before, believe it or not. This sounds like a great recipe to start with!
ReplyDeleteMy gran loves to make Cornish hen, especially if we are having a fancier dinner, but a small one. Great recipe!
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