Roasted Garlic Hens With Gravy Food

ROAST CHICKEN DINNER WITH ROASTED GARLIC GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
• Liberally season the chickens, inside and out with thyme, and salt and pepper, to taste. Rub each bird with 1/2 stick of softened butter.
• Cut the ends off 2 bulbs of garlic to expose all of the cloves for roasting. Put the potatoes and onions in a roasting pan, and liberally drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and salt and pepper, to taste. Dress the whole cut bulbs of garlic with extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Press the bulbs into the rosemary leaves so that some adheres to the garlic, then sprinkle the remainder over the potatoes and onions. Put 1 chicken into this pan. Sprinkle with fennel seed or pollen. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over the chicken and put the lemon in cavity of bird along with 2 large cloves of crushed garlic. Tie the legs together with string. Add the dressed garlic heads to the pan and roast this bird for 15 minutes at 475 degrees F. Baste the bird with pan juices, then lower the temperature 375 degrees F and roast until the juices run clear, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Add the artichokes to the pan the last 20 to 30 minutes of roast time, mixing them in with the potatoes and the fennel. Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Let rest for 10 minutes and then carve. Arrange the chicken on a serving platter along with the potato mixture. Pour the pan juices over the chicken. When ready to serve, divide the roasted garlic among the plates and serve with crusty warm bread for mopping.
• For the second bird, put it in a roasting pan and douse it with the juice of 2 limes, then stuff the limes into the bird along with 2 large cloves of smashed garlic. Tie the legs and roast for 15 minutes at 475 degrees F, baste, then roast 45 minutes. Remove the chicken from oven to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, remove the chicken from bone and pull the meat into small pieces. Reserve for a make-ahead meal.

GARLICKY SMOTHERED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Prepare the hens: In a mini food processor, pulse the garlic and 1 teaspoon salt to a paste. Using your fingers, make a pocket between the flesh and the skin of each Cornish hen. Stuff half the garlic paste between the skin and the flesh of the hens, evenly covering by pushing the paste along the flesh from the outside. Rub both hens all over with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and a grind of pepper. Cross the legs of each hen and tie together with kitchen string. Set aside and allow to come to room temperature for about an hour.
• In a baking dish large enough to hold both hens, mix together the remaining garlic paste, the bell pepper, onions, cayenne pepper, paprika, a pinch of salt and a grind or 2 of pepper.
• Place the prepared hens on top of the vegetables in the pan and slowly pour in 2 cups chicken stock. Place in the oven and cook until the temperature reaches 160 degrees F between the leg and the body of the hen when tested with an instant-read thermometer, about 40 minutes.
• Remove the hens from oven and remove from the pan to a plate. Cover lightly with aluminum foil to keep them warm while making the gravy. In a medium saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the vegetables from the baking dish and the flour. Whisk the flour briskly until it is combined with all the pan contents. Add the wine and let reduce. Take a sip of wine for yourself; you've worked hard. Stir in the remaining 1 cup chicken stock. Taste and season with salt and pepper, and then cook until the sauce has thickened to a gravy consistency, about 5 more minutes. To serve, remove the aluminum foil from the hens. Remove the string and cut in the birds in half. Pour the gravy over the top and garnish with chopped parsley.

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH GARLIC AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Rub hens with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Lightly season hens with salt and pepper. Place 1 lemon wedge and 1 sprig rosemary in cavity of each hen. Arrange in a large, heavy roasting pan, and arrange garlic cloves around hens. Roast in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a mixing bowl, whisk together wine, chicken broth, and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil; pour over hens. Continue roasting about 25 minutes longer, or until hens are golden brown and juices run clear. Baste with pan juices every 10 minutes.
• Transfer hens to a platter, pouring any cavity juices into the roasting pan. Tent hens with aluminum foil to keep warm. Transfer pan juices and garlic cloves to a medium saucepan and boil until liquids reduce to a sauce consistency, about 6 minutes. Cut hens in half lengthwise and arrange on plates. Spoon sauce and garlic around hens. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, and serve.

ROASTED GARLIC-HERB GRAVY

Steps:

• In the last hour of turkey roasting, scatter the carrots, celery, and garlic in the bottom of the roasting pan.
• In a 3-quart saucepan, bring the stock to a boil over medium heat. Reduce by half.
• When the turkey comes out of the oven, remove the carrots and celery stalks and place them in a blender or food processor. Add the stock and puree until smooth. Add half the garlic cloves, puree, and taste. (Heads of garlic vary in intensity, so it is necessary to check the strength of the sauce as you go). Add more garlic to taste, if desired.
• Stir in the salt and pepper, and just before serving, add the parsley, chives, and savory.

GLUTEN-FREE ROASTED GARLIC AND HERB GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Peel most of the papery skin away from the garlic head. Place on a cutting board and cut off the top 1 inch. Discard the top. Place the garlic head on a small sheet of foil. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and lightly sprinkle with salt. Tightly wrap and place on a small sheet tray in case it leaks. Roast until golden brown and soft, 55 to 65 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile in a medium saucepot, combine the chicken stock, thyme, oregano, sage, rosemary and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 30 minutes.
• Add the reserved drippings to the pot. Squeeze in the roasted garlic from the head. Stir and then remove from heat. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, pushing the garlic through, then pour the strained stock back into a clean pot. Add in some freshly cracked black pepper and more salt, if needed.
• To make the slurry, combine 1/2 cup of the cornstarch with 1/2 cup cold water in a small bowl. Whisk together.
• Bring the stock back up to a simmer over medium. Slowly whisk in the cornstarch slurry and then bring to a boil to thicken. If the gravy looks too loose, make another slurry with the remaining cornstarch and slowly whisk in a little bit at a time until you feel the gravy thicken. Taste for seasoning. Keep warm until needed.

GARLIC ROASTED CHICKEN WITH GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F; spray the rack of a roasting pan with nonstick cooking spray. Remove the chicken giblets and neck from body cavity; refrigerate or freeze for another use. Rinse the chicken under cold running water inside and out; pat dry with paper towels.
• Place the lemon, onion, rosemary, thyme, and garlic in the body cavity. Place the chicken, breast-side up, on the rack in the roasting pan. Roast 30 minutes; pour the broth and lemon juice over the chicken. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Roast, basting frequently, until cooked through and the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced in the thickest part with a fork, about 1 hour longer. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, let stand 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour the pan juices into a medium saucepan, skimming off any fat and reserving 1 tablespoon of the juices in a small bowl. Dissolve the cornstarch in the reserved juices. Add the wine, scallion, sage, and 1/4 cup water to the saucepan; bring to a boil and boil 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the the dissolved cornstarch; cook, stirring constantly, until the gravy thickens, about 1 minute. Carve the chicken and serve with gravy. Remove the skin before eating.

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH GARLIC AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Pat hens dry with paper towels. Season cavities lightly with salt and pepper. Place 1 lemon wedge and 1 rosemary sprig in cavity of each hen. Rub hens with 1 tablespoon oil. Season outside of hens lightly with salt and pepper. Arrange in heavy large roasting pan. Scatter garlic around hens.
• Roast hens 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Pour wine, broth and remaining 2 tablespoons oil over hens. Continue roasting until hens are golden brown and juices run clear when thigh is pierced at thickest part, basting every 10 minutes with pan juices, about 25 minutes longer.
• Transfer hens to platter, pouring any juices from cavity into roasting pan. Tent hens with foil to keep warm. Transfer pan juices and garlic to heavy medium saucepan. Boil until reduced to sauce consistency, about 6 minutes.
• Cut hens in half lengthwise. Arrange on plates. Spoon sauce and garlic around hens. Garnish with additional rosemary sprigs and serve.