Cornish Hens

[FoodMuse]

Hello there,

I'm looking for advice on how to cook 2 two lb Cornish Hens I have resting the fridge now. I've never cooked them before so any advice is welcome. I love crispy skin, but I also like a sweet glaze, honey, maple syrup or hoisin. Can I have both?

I was invited to blog for eGullet for the week over here and I'd like to cook to impress. Visit me there and let me know what you think. I thought little hens would be quite photogenic.

I'm also looking for advice on condiments and good side dishes pairings. I have lemons, habaneros, carrot, celery and parsnips in the fridge. I also have bacon. Bacon wrapped maybe? For fresh herbs I have mint and cilantro.

There is another Cornish Hen thread, but it's focus is on timing and temp. not so much recipes.

Thoughts, tips, ideas? What makes them different from my usual roast chicken? Is it just the size? Any diff in flavor or texture?

Thank you,

Grace

[tug]

I love love game hens. I have one go-to recipe for them. I stuff it with rice (w/sauted onions, mushrooms and chopped spinach). The glaze I use is brandy and honey.

Its fantastic, and so simple.

edit: carrot and parnips recipe http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/whisky-glazed-parsnips-and-carrots

oh, both my suggestions involve alcohol. i must need a drink!

Edited November 3, 2010 by tug (log)

[heidih]

One of our old favorites was bacon tucked under the skin or if skin is too thin wrapped around. Cavity was stuffed with green onion and tarragon after rubbing inside and out with salt & pepper. Basted lavishly and continuously with a mix of butter, few drops of soy, orange or lemon juice and an orange tinged liquor (Sabra liqueur most often). I would be tempted to whiz the habanero with the butter, juice & booze. I roasted at 425 degrees, 10 minutes per side, and then at 350 till tender. I like them well done and the basting and bacon keeps the breast meat moist.

The carrot and parsnip would roast nicely alongside and the basting liquid would pair I think.

[FoodMuse]

Hmm not really game at all, not that I thought it was. From the Wikipedia:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture describes the Rock Cornish game hen or Cornish game hen as a young immature chicken (usually 5 to 6 weeks of age), weighing not more than 2 pounds ready-to-cook weight, which was prepared from a Cornish chicken or the progeny of a Cornish chicken crossed with another breed of chicken.

[John Rosevear]

I like Cornish hens (the smaller, the better) for lots of different things, but one of my favorites is extremely simple: Brine, dry, deep-fry, with or without some sort of simple seasoned flour or batter coating. That's one of my kids' favorite meals -- a whole little fried chicken, all for them! -- and it makes a fun presentation for adults at a casual dinner. Also, if you get good hens, it's surprisingly tasty.

It seems like it'd be easy to glaze them with honey or something right before serving if you want a sweet touch.

[Dejah]

Run the hens thru' a hot water and honey bath. Hang them to drain and dry. Season with salt, pepper, 5-spice powder and deep fry until skin is crispy.

Or, you can stuff them with rice - stir-fried with diced onion and Chinese sausge (any spicy sausage will also work), or pre-cooked sticky rice with dice onion and Chinese sausage. These you would have to roast in the oven. I sew the openings close then hang the hens on S-hooks like I do with char siu.

[ambra]

I really like them butterflied and marinated in any number of things and either barbecued, broiled or cooked under a brick. I like garlic and balsamic sometimes as a marinade.

My mother stuffs them with Wild rice and uses orange juice in the cooking, but I don't have that recipe. They are even good with regular ole barbecue sauce in the oven.

[kayb]

Stuff them with a mix of chopped fresh cranberries, fresh apple, and walnuts or pecans. Baste with a brandy-brown sugar glaze about five minutes before you take them out of the oven.

[tim]

Hi,

In my experience, a stuffed cornish hen can result in dry meat; the same problem complicates cooking a stuffed turkey.

An excellent solution is to serve boneless stuffed cornish hens. While it takes some time, you can remove all of the bones (leaving the drum stick) without cutting the skin, a skill I learned watching Jacques Pepin. The method is kind of like removing pajamas (the skin) from the neck down to the tail. The bird is then reversed and stuffed.

In my experience a lighter fruited stuffing (farro, pearl couscous, bulger) works best. After stuffing, tightly truss around the perimeter with twine to puff up the breast and hold the shape. Roast at 400 degrees breast down (support with celery to preserve the skin) for 20 minutes. Finish breast up for another 20 minutes or to temperature.

Your guests will be delighted by the easy carving boneless cornish hen.

With today's larger birds, you may cut the bird in half and easily remove the bones. Each half may be stuffed and roasted in a skillet or heavy roasting pan.

Tim

[FoodMuse]

oh, both my suggestions involve alcohol. i must need a drink!

LOL

[FoodMuse]

In my experience, a stuffed cornish hen can result in dry meat; the same problem complicates cooking a stuffed turkey.

I am concerned about this, but don't feel up to the deboning task.

In my experience a lighter fruited stuffing (farro, pearl couscous, bulger) works best. After stuffing, tightly truss around the perimeter with twine to puff up the breast and hold the shape.

Great idea. I have cherry relish I can mix with some sauteed celery/onion and quinoa.

[heidih]

Another option if you want the stuffing and are concerned about the timing is to spatchcock the hens and set them on top of the stuffing. You will get an exchange of flavors and if you leave some stuffing exposed you will get some crunchy bits as well.

[FoodMuse]

Here's a link to my posting over on my eGullet blog about how the hens turned out.

Preview: Not bad, but not great either.

A little food porn for you.

Cornish hen dinner by gpiper, on Flickr

[nickrey]

Hi Grace,

I wasn't familiar with the terminology Cornish hen until I read your food blog.

Like Ambra and Heidi H, I spatchcock the Cornish hens (what we call poussin) by removing the backbone and pressing down on the breast to flatten the bird. Put two skewers through the bird at diagonals to keep it flat. Then marinate and grill. Because it is flat when cooked and turned, it cooks through without overcooking any individual parts of the bird.

I had a picture of one over on the grilled chicken thread at this post. It is only a half a bird but you get the idea.

[suzilightning]

very 50's/60's but my grandfather used to make a glaze of 1 package of onion soup mix and 1 pint of red french dressing and 1 jar of apricot jam. heat up and then pour some into the cavity then glaze. use the rest to keep lacqering the bird every 15 minutes for about 1 hour. pop used to freeze any leftover glaze in 1/2 pint containers and pull them out to defrost when he wanted to do chicken thighs or legs or another meal of cornish hens.

he used to make white and wild rice - before wild rice was well known - and usually made green beans.

[ScoopKW]

I'm a big fan of those little birds.

I usually cut them in half, squirt a mustard sauce under the skin, and grill them.