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Cover the dish of dressing with aluminum foil. Place the hens and dressing in the oven. Roast the hens until tender, basting twice with the pan juices, about 35 minutes. (Juices from a thigh portion should no longer run pink if pierced with a knife tip.) Remove the foil from the dish of dressing and continue baking until it browns slightly on top, another 10 minutes. Meanwhile, transfer the hens to a heated platter, tent lightly with foil, and let stand for 10 minutes. T O SERVE : Divide the arugula among four warmed dinner plates. Top with the hen halves and either spoon the dressing alongside or pass it at the table.
GAME HENS 2 Cornish game hens, about 11⁄2 pounds each, preferably organic Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Olive oil spray 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
4 handfuls baby arugula or watercress
WHAT IS A CORNISH GAME HEN? DESPITE THE NAME, it’s not a wild game bird and not necessarily female, but a cross between an English breed of chicken from Cornwall and a Plymouth Rock chicken. Very meaty for its bantam size, this American breed was first created in the 1960s. An FDA ruling states that Cornish game hens must not exceed 2 pounds in market weight and be less than 6 weeks old, so you can rest assured that the meat of a game hen (which can be either male or female) is both young and tender. If you’re using frozen hens, it’s best to thaw them overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before roasting.
Birds
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