Whole Cornish Game Hens Deep Fried Food

SPATCHCOCKED FRIED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Put the hens on a cutting board, breast side down. Use kitchen shears to cut out the backbones. Open the hens to expose the ribs and then flip them breast side up. Use the palm of your hand to press down between the breasts to slightly flatten the hens. Put the hens in a large resealable zip-top bag, and then add the buttermilk, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, dried rosemary and 1 tablespoon salt. Shake well and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 8.
• About 2 hours before ready to serve, take the hens out of the refrigerator and let them marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Place a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. Fill a Dutch oven with 2 inches of oil and bring to 350 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer over medium-high heat.
• While the oil heats, remove the hens from the marinade and pat dry. Put the flour in a large, wide, shallow bowl with 1 teaspoon salt. Toss the hens to coat in the flour.
• Put one of the hens in the hot oil, skin side down and reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook for 5 minutes then uncover and cook for 5 minutes more. Turn the hen over and cook for 5 minutes. Flip and cook for 5 minutes more. Continue to cook, turning occasionally, until cooked through, up to a few minutes more. Carefully remove the hen from the oil and transfer it to the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt.
• Return the oil to 350 degrees F and fry the other hen in the same way. Transfer the second hen to the prepared baking sheet and let them stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.

DEEP-FRIED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• 1. Rinse the hens and pat completely dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. 2. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Place a large wire cake rack over a jelly roll pan. In a stockpot, melt vegetable shortening over high heat to a depth of 2 to 3 inches and heat it to 375°F. Carefully put 1 Cornish hen in the hot shortening. Deep-fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 12 minutes. To check for doneness, using a wire-mesh skimmer and tongs, carefully remove the hen from the stockpot and insert an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, not touching a bone-it should read 180°F. Transfer to the wire rack and keep warm in the oven while frying the other hen. Let the second hen rest for 5 minutes. Serve whole, or use a cleaver to split the hens lengthwise. Serve with the salt, pepper, and lemon wedges, letting each person season his or her hen to taste.

PAT'S DEEP-FRIED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Whisk together the first six ingredients in a small bowl. Set half of this mixture aside.
• Divide the remaining seasoning mixture between two large mixing bowls, and pour the buttermilk evenly between the two bowls, whisking to combine. Put half of the onion and thyme in each bowl. Place three game hens in each mixing bowl, and turn to coat. Cover the bowls with plastic wrap, and leave in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight (the longer the better; allow the seasonings and flavors to permeate the game hens).
• Heat the peanut oil to 375 degrees F in a large Dutch oven or deep-fryer. (For tips on deep-frying, see page 19.) Preheat your oven to 200 degrees F, and cover two heavy-duty sheet trays with wire racks. Remove the game hens from the buttermilk mixture while the oil is heating.
• Whisk together the flour and the remaining seasoning mixture in a large casserole. Working with one game hen at a time, put one game hen in the flour and toss to coat, then shake off the excess. Slip the coated game hens, in batches according to the size of your fryer, into the hot oil, and fry for 13 minutes, until beautifully golden brown. Place each fried hen on the wire-rack-fitted sheet tray, and hold in the warm oven. Repeat with remaining hens.
• Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cover two heavy-duty rimmed sheet trays with wire racks, and spray with nonstick spray.
• Drain the hens from the buttermilk marinade, and pat dry. Place the hens on the sheet trays, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
• Put the pan in the oven, and roast for 45 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F and the juices run clear.
• One of the things I think people really don't know about me is that I was frying food before I was grilling! (Nowadays my love of fried food comes second only to my love of grilling.) Fried food in the South is like pizza in Chicago: if you grew up in Memphis, you grew up with it. My grandfather used to fry whole rabbits, and my grandmother used to fry chicken for breakfast, served up with biscuits!
• CHOOSE YOUR OIL Neutral oils like peanut, safflower, canola, and vegetable oil all have a high "smoke point," so they work well at high frying temperatures. We often like to use peanut oil, because it adds a very subtle peanut flavor; the flavor of canola oil is less pronounced.
• PICK YOUR POT If you don't have an electric fryer, select a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven for deep-frying. You'll usually need at least 3 or 4 inches of oil in the bottom of the pan, but more if you're frying something larger, like Cornish game hens or chicken.
• FILL IT UP Be careful not to overfill your pot! If you don't leave room for the items you're frying, the oil may spill over the sides, causing a mess or, even worse, a fire. To check how much oil you need, you can first do a test run with water. Fill the pot up with water, then slip in the food you're going to fry. Wherever the water rises to, that's how high your oil is going to go-so mark that place on the pot, and don't fill it too high!
• HEAT IT UP If the temperature of your oil is too low, you'll be left with a greasy, pale crust minus that great crunch we all love. If it's too high, you'll have a dark brown, burnt crust that's undercooked on the inside. It's always best to use a deep-fry thermometer for accurate cooking, but if you don't have one, test the temperature by slipping into the oil a little corner or edge of the food you're planning to fry. If the oil is at the right temperature, it will bubble up and sizzle around the food.
• SLIP IT IN Using caution, gently slip the food into the oil, so you don't splatter and burn yourself. Don't plop it in!
• TAKE THE FOOD'S TEMPERATURE Be sure to have a meat thermometer handy when cooking poultry of any kind. (I've been served fried chicken that looked beautiful on the outside but was raw on the inside.) Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the breast or thigh, and make sure it comes to around 160 degrees F before you pull it from the oil. Onion rings, potato chips, and French fries are easier to gauge by sight; with something like hush puppies, it's best to break the food open and test for doneness.
• DRAIN AND SALT Remove the food with tongs or a spider sieve, and let the food drain on a paper-towel-lined plate or sheet tray to remove the excess oil. Season while the food is still hot. (You want the salt to stick to the oil!)

PAT'S DEEP-FRIED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Whisk together the first six ingredients in a small bowl. Set half of this mixture aside.
• Divide the remaining seasoning mixture between two large mixing bowls, and pour the buttermilk evenly between the two bowls, whisking to combine. Put half of the onion and thyme in each bowl. Place three game hens in each mixing bowl, and turn to coat. Cover the bowls with plastic wrap, and leave in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight (the longer the better; allow the seasonings and flavors to permeate the game hens).
• Heat the peanut oil to 375 degrees F in a large Dutch oven or deep-fryer. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees F, and cover two heavy-duty sheet trays with wire racks. Remove the game hens from the buttermilk mixture while the oil is heating.
• Whisk together the flour and the remaining seasoning mixture in a large casserole. Working with one game hen at a time, put one game hen in the flour and toss to coat, then shake off the excess. Slip the coated game hens, in batches according to the size of your fryer, into the hot oil, and fry for 13 minutes, until beautifully golden brown. Place each fried hen on the wire-rack-fitted sheet tray, and hold in the warm oven. Repeat with remaining hens.
• ALTERNATIVE
• Baked Cornish Game Hens Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cover two heavy-duty rimmed sheet trays with wire racks, and spray with nonstick spray.
• Drain the hens from the buttermilk marinade, and pat dry. Place the hens on the sheet trays, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
• Put the pan in the oven, and roast for 45 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F and the juices run clear.
• Pat's Guide to Deep-Frying
• One of the things I think people really don't know about me is that I was frying food before I was grilling! (Nowadays my love of fried food comes second only to my love of grilling.) Fried food in the South is like pizza in Chicago: if you grew up in Memphis, you grew up with it. My grandfather used to fry whole rabbits, and my grandmother used to fry chicken for breakfast, served up with biscuits!
• 1 CHOOSE YOUR OIL Neutral oils like peanut, safflower, canola, and vegetable oil all have a high "smoke point," so they work well at high frying temperatures. We often like to use peanut oil, because it adds a very subtle peanut flavor; the flavor of canola oil is less pronounced.
• 2 PICK YOUR POT If you don't have an electric fryer, select a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven for deep-frying. You'll usually need at least 3 or 4 inches of oil in the bottom of the pan, but more if you're frying something larger, like Cornish game hens or chicken.
• 3 FILL IT UP Be careful not to overfill your pot! If you don't leave room for the items you're frying, the oil may spill over the sides, causing a mess or, even worse, a fire. To check how much oil you need, you can first do a test run with water. Fill the pot up with water, then slip in the food you're going to try. Wherever the water rises to, that's how high your oil is going to go-so mark that place on the pot, and don't fill it too high!

CAJUN-FRIED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Combine the Cajun season and pepper; rub over the inside and outside of the hens. Tie the legs together. Place flour in a large, heavy duty, zip-top plastic bag. Add the hens one at a time; shake to coat.
• Pour oil to a depth of 4 inches into the deep pot of a propane cooker; heat to 350°F.
• Carefully lower the hens in the oil; fry for 18 to 20 minutes or until the meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast reads 180°F.
• Remove the hens from oil and drain on paper towels. Remove string before serving.

CAJUN-FRIED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Combine Cajun seasoning and pepper; rub over inside and outside of hens. Tie legs together with one end of a 30-inch string.
• Place flour in a large heavy duty, zip top plastic bag; add hens, 1 at a time, and shake to coat thoroughly.
• Pour oil to a depth of 4 inches into a deep pot of a propane cooker; heat to 350°F carefully lower hens into hot oil, using string.
• Fry 18-20 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 180°F remove hens from oil, and drain on paper towels; remove string before serving.

DEEP-FRIED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Don't fill your stockpot more than half full with shortening/oil, to allow for the inevitable boiling up when the hens are added.
• Also, be sure the hens are at room temperature so the fat temperature doesn't drop dramatically from the shock of an ice-cold bird.
• Rinse the hens and pat completely dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Place a large wire cake rack over a jelly roll pan/cookie sheet.
• In a stockpot, melt vegetable shortening over high heat to a depth of 2 to 3 inches and heat it to 375 degrees F.
• Carefully put 1 Cornish hen in the hot shortening. Deep fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown.

CRISPY FRIED CORNISH GAME HENS (TAPAKA)

Steps:

• With a meat cleaver, poultry shears, or a VERY sharp knife, split open the breast of the Cornish Hen. Carefully remove the breastbone. Cover the hen with waxed paper and pound the flat side of the cleaver or a meat tenderizer to flatten.
• Combine the garlic, lemon juice, paprika, and about 1/4 teaspoon salt. Rub over the hen and refrigerate, covered for at least two hours or as long as overnight.
• Heat the clarified butter in a heavy cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
• Brush the garlic off the hen, then place the hen in the skillet, skin side down. Cover the hen directly with something flat (such as an ovenproof plate) and place a heavy object (such as a brick, a smaller iron skillet, or a pan filled with water) on top so the hen is firmly pressed down.
• Cook until the skin is deep golden brown and crispy, about 20 minutes. Turn the bird, re-weight, and cook on the other side for about 15 minutes. Pierce a thigh with a skewer. the hen is ready when the juices run clear.
• Serve on a bed of lettuce, garnished with the fresh vegetables, and accompanied with the Sour Plum Sauce on the side.
• For the Sour Plum Sauce:.
• In a large nonreactive saucepan, combine the prunes and enough cold water to barely cover. bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the prunes are soft, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Drain the prunes, then pit and put them through a food mill. Return the prunes to the saucepan. Add the cilantro, garlic, coriander seeds, fenugreek, red pepper flakes to taste, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and salt. bring to a boil and heat for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove from heat. Yaste and add more lemon juice, if desired.
• Cool the sauce to room temperature and transfer to a sterilized 1 quart jar. Top with the oil. seal. and refrigerate. The sauce should stand for at least 4 to 6 hours before serving. The sauce will keep for up to two months in the refrigerator. This makes about 3 cups.