Ingredient: lemon pepper

EASTER GREETINGS!

Easter is synonymous with spring; it represents a time of renewal. The winter months are now in our rear-view mirrors, and we can look forward to those wonderful summer days. Fresh new buds are on the trees, just waiting to burst out as the season unfolds. Everything speaks of new life and fresh hope. Spring is so unique (even if we still have snow on the ground in our part of the country).

Whether or not you’re religious, Easter has some pretty magical facets to it. I remember as a kid the ‘secret bunny’ leaving colorful eggs and little baskets filled with a few goodies. My sisters and I always got a new Easter dress and ‘straw bonnet’ to wear to the church service. Then of course, the wonderful Easter meal itself.

According to legend, the Cornish game hen was actually ‘invented’. The original breeder was a woman by the name of ‘Tea’ Makowsky.  At the age of 15, she moved to Paris, France finding work at both a milliner’s shop and a cheese shop. It was here she met her husband, and they married in 1933. Fleeing from the Nazis, they settled in the USA. After a fire destroyed their farm in 1949, the Makowskis, began experimenting and came up with a cross breed of Cornish game cocks and Plymouth Rock hens. The result was a plump little bird that matured quickly with all-white meat. In less than 5 weeks, the chicken was ready to be sold.

By the 1950’s, the Cornish Game Hen was fabulously popular. The usual weight is about 500-700 grams, which makes it ample for an individual serving. I remember in the 1970’s, Cornish game hens were considered to be a very upscale or exotic dinner and quite expensive.

I haven’t made any of these little ‘birds’ for a long time so I though they would make a nice Easter meal for Brion & I this year.

Print Recipe

Roasted Cornish Hens w/ Mushroom Barley Pilaf

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Rating: 5
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Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

American

Keyword

roasted cornish hens w/ mushroom barley pilaf

Servings

MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

Cornish Game Hens

• 2 Cornish game hens
• 1/3 cup prepared garlic mayo
• 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp lemon pepper

Mushroom Barley Pilaf

• 1/2 cup shallot, finely minced
• 100 gm cremini mushrooms, trimmed & diced small
• 1/3 cup dried porcini mushrooms, rehydrated & finely minced SEE NOTE BELOW
• 1/2 cup Arborio rice
• 1/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp EACH salt & pepper
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 3 cups vegetable broth (preferably the liquid used to rehydrate the porcini mushrooms
• Parmesan for sprinkling on pilaf, optional

Course Main Dish Cuisine American Keyword roasted cornish hens w/ mushroom barley pilaf Servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients Cornish Game Hens 2 Cornish game hens 1/3 cup prepared garlic mayo 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning 1 tsp Italian seasoning 1 1/4 tsp smoked paprika 1/2 tsp lemon pepper Mushroom Barley Pilaf 1/2 cup shallot, finely minced 100 gm cremini mushrooms, trimmed & diced small 1/3 cup dried porcini mushrooms, rehydrated & finely minced SEE NOTE BELOW 1/2 cup Arborio rice 1/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed 1 Tbsp olive oil 1/4 tsp EACH salt & pepper 1/4 cup white wine 3 cups vegetable broth (preferably the liquid used to rehydrate the porcini mushrooms Parmesan for sprinkling on pilaf, optional

Votes: 1 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe!

Instructions

1. Remove the giblet packet (if present) from the cavity of the game hens. Carefully rinse the game hens under cold water. Thoroughly pat dry with paper toweling. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 375 F.
3. Make sure that the hens are completely dry: if not, pat dry again with paper toweling. Cover each hen with garlic mayo. Combine spice mixture in a small cup then sprinkle over hens. Set hens aside.
4. Set a large, heavy-bottomed, oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat & add the olive oil. Add the shallots, fresh mushrooms, barley, salt, & pepper. Sauté until the vegetables have softened slightly & the barley begins to give off a nutty, toasted fragrance, 5–7 minutes. Bring the heat to high while stirring & add the wine. Continue stirring until about half of the wine has been absorbed/reduced. Stir in the vegetable broth & rehydrated mushrooms. Remove from the heat.
5. Set a small rack into the bottom of the pot. Place the hens on top of the rack (balance them against the sides of the pot, if necessary).
6. Place the pot on the oven's middle rack & roast for 50 minutes, turning the pot a half turn once during the roast.
7. Check the temperature of the hens by inserting an instant-read thermometer into the meatiest part of the thigh: the final temperature must reach 165 F. Continue roasting as needed. Also take note of the degree of browning: if the hens are browning too much, cover them with a piece of foil. If they are not browning enough, turn the broiler on high for the last ~5 minutes of cooking (estimate based on the temperature of the thigh meat). Watch carefully to prevent burning and give the pot a half-turn once during the broil.
8. Remove the hens to a cutting board & rest for 10 minutes. Remove the rack from the pot & fluff the mushroom-barley pilaf with a fork. Before serving pilaf, sprinkle with finely grated parmesan if you wish.

Recipe Notes

• To rehydrate the mushrooms, bring 3 ½ cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add the mushrooms, turn off the heat, and lid the saucepan. Let sit for 45 minutes. Remove the rehydrated mushrooms (reserve the liquid in the saucepan!). Rinse well, then pat dry with paper toweling before mincing. Strain the rehydrating liquid through a strainer lined with a layer of paper toweling. Keep this liquid to use for the vegetable broth.
• The game hens should be sitting slightly above the level of the liquid. The rack insert from a pressure cooker/instant pot will work well to set the hens on top, balanced against the sides of the pot.