In the never-ending battle for truth, justice, and a wide variety of entrees for dinner, one dish is often overlooked. Cornish game hens. They are easy to prepare, delicious and not expensive. The only problem is that they are always frozen hard as rocks, and you have to plan ahead to enjoy them. I suppose you could put them in a bowl of water and defrost in one day, but they take at least two days to defrost in the refrigerator. We served them for company last weekend, and as usual – they were a hit.
This is the recipe I more or less used.
We served each guest a whole game hen, but with nice side dishes, I believe a half of a hen would have been sufficient. But the leftovers are good, so allow one hen per person.
Thaw the rascals and rinse well, then pat dry with a paper towel. Put a thin slice of butter beneath the skin on each side of the breast to help them brown. Slip a clove of garlic and a small wedge (1/8th) of fresh lemon in each cavity, then tie the legs together with twine. Rub the outsides with olive oil, then salt and pepper. Put the hens breast side up on a roasting pan and into a 450 oven for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 and brush the hens with a mixture of dry white wine and chicken broth. Baste the hens with pan juices every ten minutes and take out after 30 minutes (a total cooking time of one hour).
Allow to rest for 5 minutes, drizzle with the sauce and serve with wild rice. Makes a nice change of pace.
Baked Cornish Game Hens
8 thin slices butter
4 cloves garlic
Half of a fresh lemon cut into 4 wedges
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
