Roast Cornish Hens Recipe
Ingredients
| Cornish | 3 Pound | |
| 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns, coarsely crushed | ||
| Dried tarragon | 3 Tablespoon, chopped | |
| 1 medium pear, cut into thirds | ||
| 1 cup fresh parsley sprigs, rinsed | ||
| 2 tablespoons acceptable vegetable oil | ||
| Water | ||
Directions
Thaw hens if frozen.
Preheat oven to 425° F.
Remove giblets and discard.
Save the necks for making stock.
Rinse hens and pat dry.
Gently loosen skin from meat on breast and legs by breaking the membrane that holds the skin to the meat and sliding your hand between the two to loosen the skin.
Spread pepper and tarragon under the skin and in the cavity.
Stuff each cavity with pieces of pear and parsley.
Place the hens on a rack, breast-side up, on the top of a 3-inch-deep roaster pan.
Soak a cheesecloth in oil and cover hens with the oiled cloth.
This keeps the meat from drying out.
Put water in the pan to a depth of 1 to 1 1/2 inches to provide moisture and pan drippings for gravy.
Place hens in oven, reduce heat immediately to 325° F.
and bake 45 to 60 minutes.
Test for doneness by pricking the skin of the thigh; the juice should run clear.
Defat the drippings and make Pan Gravy .
Cut each hen in half before serving.
Preheat oven to 425° F.
Remove giblets and discard.
Save the necks for making stock.
Rinse hens and pat dry.
Gently loosen skin from meat on breast and legs by breaking the membrane that holds the skin to the meat and sliding your hand between the two to loosen the skin.
Spread pepper and tarragon under the skin and in the cavity.
Stuff each cavity with pieces of pear and parsley.
Place the hens on a rack, breast-side up, on the top of a 3-inch-deep roaster pan.
Soak a cheesecloth in oil and cover hens with the oiled cloth.
This keeps the meat from drying out.
Put water in the pan to a depth of 1 to 1 1/2 inches to provide moisture and pan drippings for gravy.
Place hens in oven, reduce heat immediately to 325° F.
and bake 45 to 60 minutes.
Test for doneness by pricking the skin of the thigh; the juice should run clear.
Defat the drippings and make Pan Gravy .
Cut each hen in half before serving.
Chef
