Chicken Little Petite Cornish Game Hens Are Fast To Cook And Easy To Serve

Cornish game hens are plump little birds brimming with savory juices. Bursting with flavor. Delectable.

Sure, they’re small - particularly compared to the turkeys we’ve been gobbling. But that’s one of their most endearing traits. Small means they’re fast to cook and easy to serve, perfect for hurried holiday menus.

Like popcorn and peanut butter, Cornish game hens are an American culinary invention, a result of crossbreeding Cornish bantam roosters and Plymouth Rock hens.

The average weight is 1 to 1-1/2 pounds. If you like, serve them whole, one generous bird per person. They look beautiful on the plate, their crisp wings tucked akimbo under bronze-colored breasts. But served whole, they are harder to eat - definitely a sharp-knife-and-fork kind of meal. Plus, lots of folks don’t want to eat that much meat.

To make them easier to eat (and decrease cooking time), cut the birds in halves or quarters. Arrange cooked pieces on a bed of roasted vegetables, rice pilaf or mixed greens tossed with a little vinaigrette; that way, they won’t look skimpy.

Here’s the rundown on both options:

Cooking whole: Roasting is the best method for cooking whole game hens. Use a bed of vegetables, broth and herbs under the hens; the mixture will make a sauce while the birds roast.

Combine vegetables, broth and game hens (breast down) in an ovenproof, deep saute pan or Dutch oven that is big enough to hold game hens in a single layer. Cover and roast in a 400-degree oven for 20 minutes.

Remove cover and turn hens breast side up. Roast, uncovered, until juices run clear when thigh is pierced (and juices in cavities are clear), about 50 minutes. Hens should be beautifully browned. Remove hens and vegetables. Strain sauce and boil for a minute or two if it is too thin.

Game hens are more firm and moist than chickens, so they don’t dry out as quickly. But for added flavor, snuggle a little herb-butter mixture (or marinade or stuffing) between the skin and meat before roasting.

Start gently loosening the skin at the top of the breast (neck area), using your fingertips and a lot of patience. Large rings on your fingers and sharp nails can be a hazard because the skin is delicate.

Loosen skin over breasts and top of drumsticks. Use fingers to push stuffing under the skin, patting down and redistributing stuffing evenly. Don’t use too much; it might expand a little when roasting. Roast with the breast side up.

Cooking halves or quarters: Hen pieces are more versatile, and can be baked or grilled. Depending on size, halves roast in about 30-40 minutes in a 425-degree oven, quarters in about 25-35 minutes. Grilling times are similar, but can vary according to size and heat.

Hens cut into manageable pieces are the busy cook’s buddy. They’re great on a party buffet table, and leftovers make delicious lunchtime treats.

Stuff them under the skin with exotic Asian ingredients or herb butter before baking. Or marinate in a mixture of olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon juice and garlic; stuff some sun-dried tomatoes under the skin and bake. Serve over rice or on a bed of mixed lettuce lightly coated with a simple vinaigrette.

Even easier, marinate in store-bought Italian dressing (the kind without cheese). Discard leftover marinade. Bake and garnish with minced fresh herbs.

To grill, marinate in a mixture of orange juice, orange liqueur, fresh ginger, lemon juice and garlic. Remove hen halves, and boil sauce to a syrup. Baste hens and grill. If hens become too brown, remove from grill and finish cooking in a 350-degree oven.

Your butcher will probably cut the hens for you, but with a sharp knife or poultry scissors, you can easily cut them yourself. Here’s how:

Remove neck and gizzard packet from cavity. Wash bird and pat dry with paper towels. Place hen, breast up, on cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut through the breast bone, slightly right of the center. Open the hen with the skin up. Press down firmly so it’s flat against the board. Cut through on both sides of the backbone to remove it.

If you want to cut into quarters, cut at a diagonal between the bottom of the breast and top of the leg. The backbones can be used for soup or to enrich liquid under hens when roasting.

Roasted Cornish Game Hens with Vegetables

2 whole Cornish game hens

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided, plus butter or margarine for greasing pan

2 large cloves garlic, peeled and flattened with the side of a knife

Salt and pepper

3 tablespoons minced fresh thyme, divided

Cotton string

Optional: 1/2 small butternut squash, sliced, peeled and cut into 1- by 3-inch pieces

8 white boiling onions, cut in half

6 ounces peeled baby carrots

8 ounces small red potatoes, cut in half

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/3 cup chicken broth

Salt and pepper

Optional: a little olive oil to drizzle on potatoes

Optional garnish: sprigs of fresh thyme

Remove giblets from hens. Wash with cold water and pat dry, including the cavity. Pull out and discard the excess fat pads on both sides of the cavity opening. Grease a large roasting pan with butter.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place 1/2 tablespoon butter or margarine in cavity of each bird, along with garlic. Season cavity with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 tablespoon minced thyme to each. Bring the ends of the drumsticks together and tie with cotton string.

Place hens in prepared roasting pan, breast side down. Surround with vegetables: squash (if using), onions, carrots and potatoes. Combine lemon juice and chicken broth. Pour over ingredients in roasting pan. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons minced thyme and cover with aluminum foil.

Roast for 20 minutes in a 400-degree oven.

Remove foil. Using a large spatula, turn birds breast side up. Rub each bird with 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon minced thyme over hens. Ladle pan juices over vegetables. If desired, drizzle a little olive oil on the potatoes; it will help them to brown. Season birds and vegetables with a little salt and pepper.

Return to oven, uncovered, and roast an additional 50-55 minutes. Check after 45 minutes; if birds are getting too brown, cover loosely with aluminum foil. Hens are done when juices run clear and internal temperature reaches 175 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh. Garnish with fresh thyme.

Yield: 2 servings.

Roasted Cornish Game Hens in Spicy Asian Glaze

Adapted from “Pacific Flavors,” by Hugh Carpenter (Stewart, Tabori and Chang, New York). Serve over cooked rice; a wild rice-white rice mix with sliced green onions works well.

2 game hens, quartered

2 tablespoons butter, preferably unsalted, cut into small pieces

Sauce:

1/4 cup white sesame seeds

2 tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger

1 green onion, trimmed and minced

1 tablespoon grated or minced orange peel (zest), colored part only

3 tablespoons hoisin sauce (see note)

2 tablespoons orange marmalade

2 tablespoons dry sherry

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon plum sauce (see note)

1 teaspoon Chinese chili sauce (see note)

Fifteen minutes before baking, preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Wash game hens in cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

Toast sesame seeds in a dry skillet until golden. In a small bowl, combine ginger, green onion and orange peel; stir in toasted sesame seeds. Add remaining sauce ingredients and stir to blend.

Loosen skin of game hens. Spoon some of the sauce under skin and work sauce over the breast meat, thigh and top of drumstick. Place in a nonreactive container with a tight cover. Pour remaining marinade on top of birds. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours, or up to 8 hours.

Drain off excess marinade into a small bowl (don’t serve it without boiling it first). Place game hens, skin side up, in a roasting pan. Dot with small pieces of butter and roast until golden in a preheated 425-degree oven, basting every 10 minutes. Game hens are done when internal temperature reaches 175 degrees on a meat thermometer and the juices from the meat run clear (quarters about 25-30 minutes; halves about 30-35 minutes).

Remove hens. Skim and discard fat from roasting pan. Pour remaining sauce in a saucepan. Add any reserved marinade. Bring to boil on high heat. Boil until thickened.

Brush sauce over hens. Arrange over rice, if desired. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings.

Note: Hoisin sauce and plum sauce are available at most supermarkets that have Asian specialty sections. Chinese chili sauce is available at Asian markets and supermarkets with large Asian specialty sections. Unlike most American chili sauces, it is hot and spicy rather than sweet; if you don’t like spicy sauces, reduce the amount or leave it out.

For a shortcut, you can combine 1/2 cup prepared sweet and sour sauce, 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar and 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger. Add 1 teaspoon of Chinese chili sauce and 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds, if desired.

Roasted Cornish Game Hens with Rosemary Butter

Here’s a basic recipe for herb butter to use for stuffing game hens under the skin. If desired, add pitted and chopped black olives, well drained. Or substitute minced thyme, tarragon or basil for the rosemary.

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

1-1/2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary

4 whole game hens, gizzards removed, washed and patted dry

Several sprigs of fresh rosemary

Combine butter and minced rosemary; stir to combine.

Stuff game hens between the skin and meat before roasting. Start gently loosening the skin at the top of the breast (neck area), using your fingertips and a lot of patience. Loosen skin over breasts and top of drumsticks. Use fingers to push stuffing under the skin, patting down and redistributing stuffing evenly.

Line baking dish with rosemary sprigs. Place game hens on top of rosemary, breast side up. Roast in a preheated 400-degree oven for about 60-70 minutes. Garnish with fresh rosemary.

Roasted Cornish Game Hens with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

3/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (packed in olive oil), drained and finely chopped

1/4 cup olive oil from the sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, about 3 lemons

4 bay leaves

4 large cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

6 Cornish game hens, cut in half

12 sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil), drained

Garnish: lemon wedges

Combine olive oil, chopped sundried tomatoes, tomato oil, lemon juice, bay leaves, garlic and pepper. Stir to combine. Wash game hen halves in cold water and pat dry. Loosen skin over breasts and thighs. Place a sun-dried tomato under skin of each hen breast.

Place in shallow glass or enamel pan; pour the marinade over. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours. If possible, turn 1 or 2 times while marinating.

Fifteen minutes before baking, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place bird halves, breast side up, on a rack in a roasting pan. Place in preheated 400-degree oven for 35-55 minutes, basting with marinade 1 or 2 times.

Discard leftover marinade and bay leaves. Serve over cooked pasta. Drizzle a little of the pan juices on top. Garnish with lemon slices.

Yield: 12 servings.