Roasted Cornish Games Hens (Poussin)
Total time: 60 minutes
Small, perfectly roasted hens make an elegant presentation and are perfect individual servings (with maybe a snack leftover). If yours are larger birds, one may be enough, (you can split it in half before roasting) or fix two and have cold chicken/game hen for lunch tomorrow! Remember to put bowls for bones on the table - and wet towels for fingers.
Ingredients:
- 2 Cornish game hens or poussin (little chickens)
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs lemon juice
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) red wine
- 2 tsp Dijon-style mustard
- 2 tsp dried rosemary
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp dried sage
Instructions:
- Wash hens and pat dry with paper towels.
- Mix 1 tbs oil with lemon juice and 1 tsp each of the herbs.
- Divide herb mixture and put half into each of the hens.
- Tie legs close and bend wings around and under the back - so it looks like they are lying there with their arms akimbo. It keeps them from flapping and gives the hen something to rest on.
- Lay them on a rack in a shallow baking pan.
- Mix the remaining oil, herbs, mustard and red wine and brush on hens.
- Put into 400F (200C). Bake for 50 - 60 minutes, basting every 15 minutes with wine mixture, until done. See techniques. I recommend a meat thermometer.