roasted Cornish hens

These roasted Cornish hens were convenient enough to make for dinner but will look festive and elegant for special celebrations and for the coming holiday season as well. When arranged on a big platter with roasted vegetables, they will make an attractive centerpiece for the holiday table.

roasted Cornish hens with roasted cauliflower and quinoa

They cooked much faster than regular size chickens and turned out quite moist with great flavor. They were marinated for a few hours in the fridge before roasting. Because of their petite size, it didn't take much time to infuse them with the marinade. I found a very good recipe from Food.com with just a few ingredients.

just be sure to remove the string before serving...I forgot :-)

For the recipe...


ROASTED CORNISH HENS (recipe idea from Food.com)

2 Cornish hens

Rinse the Cornish hens under running water and drain well. Sprinkle generously with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stuff the cavities with lemon wedges and season with salt and pepper. Truss the hens with a string or just tie the legs together.

Marinade:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons honey
4 teaspoons chili powder or paprika
2 tablespoons orange or lemon juice
salt and pepper

In a small saucepan set over low heat, melt butter and olive oil. Stir in honey, chili powder or paprika and orange or lemon juice. Cool mixture slightly then pour over the Cornish hens. Turn them over breast side down and keep refrigerated while marinating for about 4 hours. Bake at 350F for an hour or until internal temperature reaches 180F. Keep basting them while roasting.

Shown above, the Cornish hens were roasted with the marinade. This technique allowed them to remain moist and juicy. They didn't dry out roasted up to an internal temperature of 180F. The chili powder in the buttery marinade gave them a deep rich golden color as they browned in "aero bake" or convection setting. The marinade turned into a very flavorful sauce after roasting. Spoon some of the sauce over the roast upon serving.

soaking in the marinade before roasting