Cornish Game Hens
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 4 hrs 35 min
Servings: 6
Total Time: 4 hrs 35 min
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
3 Cornish game hens (1-1/2 to 2 lb. each)
6 Tbs. plus 1/3 cup dry white wine
1-1/2 Tbs. honey
1-1/2 Tbs. chopped thyme
2 bay leaves, torn into 4 pieces
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 medium orange
1 small yellow onion,
cut into 1/4" slices
1 Tbs. sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper
3 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted, for basting,
plus 1 Tbs. butter, not melted, for the sauce
1 cup low - salt chicken broth
3 Cornish game hens (1-1/2 to 2 lb. each)
6 Tbs. plus 1/3 cup dry white wine
1-1/2 Tbs. honey
1-1/2 Tbs. chopped thyme
2 bay leaves, torn into 4 pieces
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 medium orange
1 small yellow onion,
cut into 1/4" slices
1 Tbs. sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper
3 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted, for basting,
plus 1 Tbs. butter, not melted, for the sauce
1 cup low - salt chicken broth
Directions:
Discard the giblets or save for another use.
Cut both sides of the backbones and remove them.
Then cut each hen in half along the breastbone.
Trim off the wing tips and put hens in a bowl.
In a small bowl, combine the 6 Tbs. wine, honey,
thyme, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes, and stir.
Peel the zest from an orange in large strips,
and them drop into a bowl with the hens.
Add honey mixture and onion to the bowl.
Toss, cover, and refrigerate, 4 hours, toss occasionally.
30 minutes before cooking, remove hens from marinade.
Pat dry, try not to disturb the thyme.
Put hens on a rimmed baking sheet and rest for 30 minutes.
Pot a oven rack in the top third of oven and heat to 450°F.
Season hens on both sides with salt and pepper.
Set them skin side up. Roast the hens, baste with butter.
Rotate pan for even browning,
Roast, until a thermometer reaches 175°, 30 minutes.
If the skin is pale, baste hens, turn the broiler to high, and broil,
rotating pan, until hens are golden, about 2 minutes.
Transfer to a platter and tent with foil.
While the baking sheet is hot, add the remaining
1/3 cup wine and scrape brown bits from the pan.
Pour the wine and juices into a pan, add chicken broth.
Boil the sauce on high until thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes;
it should be more like a jus than a thick sauce.
Turn off the heat, whisk in the remaining 1 Tbs. butter.
Taste and add salt and pepper.
To serve, pour sauce on and around hens and pass the remainder at the table.
Discard the giblets or save for another use.
Cut both sides of the backbones and remove them.
Then cut each hen in half along the breastbone.
Trim off the wing tips and put hens in a bowl.
In a small bowl, combine the 6 Tbs. wine, honey,
thyme, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes, and stir.
Peel the zest from an orange in large strips,
and them drop into a bowl with the hens.
Add honey mixture and onion to the bowl.
Toss, cover, and refrigerate, 4 hours, toss occasionally.
30 minutes before cooking, remove hens from marinade.
Pat dry, try not to disturb the thyme.
Put hens on a rimmed baking sheet and rest for 30 minutes.
Pot a oven rack in the top third of oven and heat to 450°F.
Season hens on both sides with salt and pepper.
Set them skin side up. Roast the hens, baste with butter.
Rotate pan for even browning,
Roast, until a thermometer reaches 175°, 30 minutes.
If the skin is pale, baste hens, turn the broiler to high, and broil,
rotating pan, until hens are golden, about 2 minutes.
Transfer to a platter and tent with foil.
While the baking sheet is hot, add the remaining
1/3 cup wine and scrape brown bits from the pan.
Pour the wine and juices into a pan, add chicken broth.
Boil the sauce on high until thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes;
it should be more like a jus than a thick sauce.
Turn off the heat, whisk in the remaining 1 Tbs. butter.
Taste and add salt and pepper.
To serve, pour sauce on and around hens and pass the remainder at the table.
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