Flock of little birds makes elegant dinner
By CAROL ANNE BLITZER, Associated Press
Published December 21, 2005
BATON ROUGE, La. - As friends and family get together to savor Christmas and other holiday occasions, a favorite main course for cooks to consider is a steaming platter of Rock Cornish game hens.
So, food lovers often ask: "What exactly are Cornish hens?"
The U.S. Department of Agriculture identifies a Rock Cornish game hen (they use that terminology in describing the Cornish hen) as "a young immature chicken ... weighing not more than 2 pounds ready-to-cook weight, which was ... (bred) from a Cornish chicken or the progeny of a Cornish chicken crossed with another breed of chicken."
(The Cornish chicken, which originated in Cornwall, England, is a smaller breed of chicken with short legs and a broad breast.)
In 1965, Donald Tyson, founder of Tyson Foods, bred the Cornish chicken with the White Rock hen to create the famous Rock Cornish game hen so popular today.
These days, Cornish hens are available in the frozen food section of all supermarkets, and they can often be purchased fresh at farmers' and upscale markets. A large Cornish hen will serve two people; some hosts prefer to offer the whole hens to carve at the table as part of the serving presentation.
Sharon Tyler Herbst in The New Food Lover's Tiptionary gives a good-news/bad-news description of Cornish hens. "The good news: Cornish game hens look elegant and take less time to cook than a whole chicken. The bad news: You get less cluck for your buck - they're more expensive and have less meat per pound than a regular chicken," she writes.
Herbst's tips for preparing Cornish hens include pricking the breast skin in several places so it does not split when cooking; brushing the skin with melted butter; and placing the hens several inches apart on an oiled baking sheet for even browning.
The Best Recipe, a compilation of extensively tested recipes and observations from the editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine, outlines cooking times and temperatures to achieve the most moist and well-cooked Cornish hen.
The book's editors recommend roasting Cornish hens breast-side down for about 25 minutes at 400 degrees, then turning the hens breast-side up for about 25 minutes, with the final few minutes at 450 degrees for perfect browning.
The editors say that keeping the temperature at 400 degrees until the final browning will achieve the best results, especially with a quantity of the little chickens. "As with all poultry, if the hen is roasted breast-side up, the breast will surely overcook before the legs and thighs get done," the book states.
"Getting the birds to brown properly with such a short stay in the oven is difficult, too, especially with six in a pan. If you think a 500-degree oven is the answer, think again. Six little birds dripping fat onto an overheated roasting pan automatically sets off the smoke alarms. Roasting these birds at high temperatures also causes their skin to bubble and blister."
The cookbook recommends glazing the birds to achieve beautiful browning.
Joe Dobie and his wife, Jackie, operate Briarhill Farms in Mount Hermon, La., where they raise fresh Cornish hens and chickens. Joe Dobie says Cornish hens are popular for several reasons.
"It's a bird that they crossed to create a real tremendous breast," he said. "It's also a good size for two people. You can split it right down the middle."
The Dobies offer one piece of advice for cooking Cornish hens or any poultry.
"Sprinkle a little sugar on them," Joe Dobie said. "It's not so much to make a glaze but for the taste."
Grilled Orange-Glazed Cornish Hens2/3 cup ketchup
1/2 cup orange marmalade
2 tablespoons sliced green onions
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
2 Cornish game hens without giblets, thawed and split
Mix ketchup, marmalade, onions and mustard in a small bowl. Reserve 3/4 cup of mixture for basting. Place remaining mixture in large, resealable plastic bag. Add Cornish hen halves to bag. Turn to coat.
Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat grill to medium-high for indirect cooking. Remove hens from marinade; discard leftover marinade.
Brush hens with 1/4 cup reserved basting mixture. Place on grill, cut side up, over indirect heat. Cover and grill for 25 minutes. Turn hens and brush with 1/4 cup basting mixture. Cover and grill for 20 minutes. Turn hens. Brush with remaining basting mixture.
Grill 10 to 20 minutes or until hens are done (internal temperature 180 degrees). Makes 4 servings.
Source: Tyson Foods.
Cornish Hens Alexander6 Cornish hens, cleaned and split in half
Salt and pepper
1 stick butter
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Rub the hens inside and out with salt and pepper and refrigerate for several hours.
Melt butter in large baking dish. Turn each bird over in the butter, then arrange them bone-side-down so that the halves do not touch each other. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 45 minutes, or longer if needed to brown the hens.
Remove hens to a warm platter. Saute mushrooms in drippings until soft. Add wine, scraping up pan drippings. Pour over birds.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Makes 12 servings.
Source: Adapted from a recipe from Mrs. Robert Slowey in River Road Recipes.
Creole Mustard-Glazed Cornish Hens6 2-pound Cornish hens
3/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup melted butter
3 tablespoons chopped basil
3 tablespoons chopped thyme
3 tablespoons chopped tarragon
4 tablespoons minced garlic
Salt and pepper, to taste
Creole seasoning, to taste
4 tablespoons Creole-style mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse hens inside and out under cold running water. Drain well and place in a large roasting pan with 1-inch lip.
Rub lemon juice and melted butter over chickens and under breast skin.
In a large mixing bowl, combine basil, thyme, tarragon and garlic. Place a small amount of herb mixture under breast skin. Rub remaining herbs inside and out of each hen, then season generously with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning.
Roast uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and completely cooked.
In a small bowl, combine mustard and honey. Using a pastry brush, coat breasts and legs with honey glaze.
Bake 5 to 10 minutes or until glaze is golden brown. Makes 12 servings.
Source: Chef John Folse's Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine.
Fresh Herb Cornish Hens6 Cornish hens, thawed if frozen
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup snipped fresh chives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
6 tablespoons chopped fresh sage, divided
3 tablespoons olive oil
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Season hens, inside and out, with salt and pepper, to taste.
In a food processor or blender, combine butter, parsley, chives, rosemary, thyme and 2 tablespoons of the sage.
Process to form a paste; set aside.
With your fingers, carefully separate skin from breast of each hen. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the butter mixture between skin and breast. Smooth skin back into place and truss hens.
Rub hens with olive oil and remaining 4 tablespoons of sage. Place in roasting pan.
Roast for 20 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350 degrees and roast until juices are clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with fork, about 40 minutes. Baste frequently with pan juices. Remove to platter.
Makes 12 servings.
Source: Junior League of Denver's Colorado Collage.
Cranberry-Glazed Cornish Hens With Wild Rice1 6-ounce package fast-cooking long grain and wild rice
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup slivered almonds, optional
1 8-ounce can jellied cranberry sauce
4 Cornish game hens without giblets (thawed if frozen)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Prepare rice according to package directions. Stir in celery, almonds (if desired) and half of cranberry sauce. Cool.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Spoon about 3/4 cup rice mixture into cavity of each hen. Tie drumsticks together with string and place on rack in roasting pan. Brush each hen with oil.
Roast hens, basting occasionally with oil, 35 to 45 minutes or until done (internal temperature at 180 degrees for hens, center of stuffing at 165 degrees).
Meanwhile, heat remaining cranberry sauce in small saucepan until melted. Remove hens from oven. Remove and discard string.
Spoon melted cranberry sauce over hens before serving. Refrigerate leftovers. Makes 8 servings.
Source: Tyson Foods.