Cornish Hen Under A Brick Food

BRICK CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Make the brine: Bring 1 1/2 gallons water and 1/3 cup salt to a boil in a large pot, whisking until the salt dissolves. Remove from the heat. Add the lemon halves, tarragon, parsley, garlic, bay leaves and peppercorns; let cool completely.
• Place the hens breast-side down on a cutting board. Use kitchen shears to cut along either side of the backbone to remove. Turn the hens breast-side up and open so the drumsticks point out; press the breastbone firmly to flatten. Submerge the hens in the brine and refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 12 hours.
• Remove the hens from the brine and rinse well; pat dry. Place breast-side up in a baking dish and refrigerate, uncovered, to dry out the skin, at least 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle the hens with salt. Wrap 2 bricks with foil. Heat 1 tablespoon each olive oil and butter in each of 2 large nonstick or cast-iron skillets over medium-high heat. Add 1 hen, skin-side down, to each skillet and scatter the thyme and garlic around it. Top each hen with a foil-wrapped brick and sear until beginning to brown, about 20 minutes, rotating the pans as needed for even cooking. Remove the bricks and carefully flip the hens (do not replace the bricks); continue cooking until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F, 20 to 25 more minutes. Cut each hen in half and serve with the romesco and chimichurri sauces.
• Romesco Sauce
• Toss 1/2 pound plum tomatoes and 4 garlic cloves (unpeeled) with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; spread on a baking sheet. Roast at 350 degrees F until soft, 20 minutes; let cool, then squeeze out the garlic. Combine the tomatoes, garlic, 3/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers, 1/4 cup sherry vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes in a blender; blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl; stir in 1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds. Slowly drizzle in 1/3 cup olive oil, whisking.
• Basil Chimichurri
• Put 6 garlic cloves (unpeeled) on a sheet of foil; drizzle with olive oil and seal into a packet. Roast at 350 degrees F until soft, about 20 minutes; let cool. Squeeze out the garlic cloves and mash into a paste. Combine 1 bunch basil (cut into thin ribbons), 1 bunch finely chopped parsley, 1/4 bunch finely chopped oregano, 1/3 cup sherry vinegar, 2 finely chopped shallots, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and pepper to taste. Slowly drizzle in 1/3 cup olive oil, whisking.

CORNISH GAME HENS UNDER A BRICK

Steps:

• Garlic Oil: Gently heat garlic and oil in a small saucepan for 5 minutes, until bubbles form on top; turn heat off and add bay leaves and peppercorns.
• Steep and cool; can be kept, refrigerated, for 2 weeks.
• Cornish Hen: Cut the hen along its backbone with kitchen shears; butterfly with hands; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• In a nonstick skillet large enough to hold the flattened hen, heat the oil over medium heat; add the hen, skin side down and weight down evenly with an aluminum foil-wrapped brick.
• Cook, turning every 2-3 minutes until golden brown and cooked through; remove hen to serving plate (s).
• Pour the wine into the skillet, add the thyme and reduce over high heat, scraping up browned bits, until thickened; pour over hen and serve immediately, drizzling with Garlic Oil if desired.

CORNISH GAME HEN WITH BACON AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Wrap a brick in aluminum foil and place into the oven to heat.
• Place the game hen breast side down on a cutting board. Using scissors or poultry shears, cut from the neck to the tailbone to remove the backbone. Once you remove the backbone you will be able to see the inside of the bird. Make a small slit in the cartilage at the base of the breastbone to reveal the keel bone. Grab the bird with both hands on the ribs and open up like a book, facing down towards the cutting board. Remove the keel bone. Cut small slits in the skin of the bird behind the legs and tuck the drumsticks into them in order to hold them in place. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Fry the bacon in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once crisp, remove the bacon from the skillet and reserve. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan. Immediately add the two birds to the pan, skin side down. Add the onions to the pan around the edges. Top the birds with the brick and allow to remain on the heat for 5 minutes. Place the pan into the oven and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until the thigh meat reaches 170 degrees F. Remove from the oven and allow the bird to rest for 5 minutes before serving with the onions and bacon.

CORNISH HENS UNDER A BRICK WITH GREEN BEANS

Steps:

• For the cornish hens: Season the hen halves with salt and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight so the skin can dry out.
• When the meat is ready, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with a rack and set aside.
• Stir together 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the garlic, rosemary, lemon zest and salt to taste, then set aside. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to a large saute pan and heat over high heat. Working in batches, place 2 hen halves in the pan skin-side down and cover with the foil-lined brick. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the skin is golden brown and crispy, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the brick, flip the pieces and cook 3 to 4 minutes more. Transfer to the prepared sheet pan skin-side up. Repeat with the remaining 2 hen halves, reserving the saute pan. Brush the hens with the oil, garlic and rosemary mixture and bake until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and keep warm.
• While the hens are baking, heat the reserved saute pan over medium-high heat, add the shallots and saute until translucent, 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the wine, then add the sage. Cook until the wine is reduced, 2 to 3 minutes more. Add the stock and cook until reduced by half, 5 minutes. Finish the sauce with the butter and lemon juice and keep warm.
• For the green beans: Set up a large pot of well-salted boiling water. Set up a large bowl of well-salted ice water. Blanch the green beans until bright green and tender, but still crisp, 1 minute. Remove from the boiling water and plunge them immediately into the ice bath. Once the beans are cool, remove them and pat dry.
• Combine the olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a medium saute pan. Turn the heat to medium and gently cook until the garlic is golden brown, but not burnt, 3 to 5 minutes. Discard the garlic, then add the green beans and toss to coat in the garlic oil. Add the almonds and toss to combine.
• Serve the cornish hens with the sauce and green beans.