Roasted Cornish hens make for a stunning centrepiece on any table; they offer a delightful departure from traditional roasted poultry, filling your dining experience with elegance and indulgence. Tender and juicy, these petite birds are perfect to portion into individual servings.
You can create a picture-perfect roast that will impress your family and guests with minimal effort, making this recipe a great addition to your holiday meals! Serve with roasted potatoes and a wild rice pilaf and enjoy.
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- In small bowl, combine butter, olive oil, lemon zest, Provence herbs and chopped rosemary and thyme. Mix to combine and season with salt to taste
- Remove giblets from hens (if they have them), pat them dry and season with salt and pepper, including cavities. Stuff cavities with quartered lemon, clementine and shallots.
- Spread butter mixture all over hens, rubbing some under the skin. Tie legs together with kitchen string.
- Line a 9x13” baking pan with sliced lemon and top with rosemary and thyme sprigs. Place hens over herbs and arrange clementine halves around them
- Cook for 30 minutes; add wine and cook for another 20-25 minutes, basting often, or until golden brown and internal temperature in the thickest part of the hens reaches at least 165°F.
- Let rest 10 minutes. Remove clementine, lemon and shallot from cavities and cut hens in half. Sprinkle with fleur de sel and garnish with clementine halves, rosemary and thyme sprigs.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 Tbsp Farm Boy™ Extra Virgin Olive Oil (1 L)
- 1 lemon, zested and quartered plus 1 lemon, sliced
- 1 tsp Farm Boy™ Herbes De Provence Seasoning (26 g)
- 1 tsp rosemary, chopped plus 5 whole sprigs
- 1 tsp fresh thyme, choped plus 8 whole sprices
- 2 Cornish Hens 750 g each
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 clementine, quartered plus 3 clementines, halved
- 1 large shallot peeled and quartered
- 1/2 cup white wine
- Farm Boy™ Fleur De Sel (240 g) for garnish
