Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Cornish Game Hens with Scallion Butter and Lime

My husband and I enjoy Cornish game hens. This is a yummy but light recipe.

Ingredients:
  • 4 TBS butter at room temperature
  • 1 TSP oregano
  • 1 TSP cumin
  • 1/2 TSP salt (I use sea salt)
  • fresh black pepper
  • 2 Cornish game hens
  • 1 scallion, finely chopped
  • 1 lime, cut in wedges

Directions:

  1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees**
  2. In a small bowl, combine 2 TBS of butter with the oregano, cumin, half the salt and 1/4 tsp. of pepper.
  3. Rub the mixture on the skins of the hens.** Arrange hens skin side up on a baking sheet. Roast on the upper rack of oven until golden, approximately 20 minutes.
  4. While hens are roasting, combine the remaining butter, salt, scallions, and 1/8 TSP black pepper. When the hens are roasted, coat with the scallion butter. Serve with lime wedges.

**I have a rotisserie grill that works beautifully for this. If you have one, it is the preferred method over baking in the oven.

**I found that if you rub the butter mixture under the skin of the hen's, it really increases the flavor. I then baste the other butter mixture on the hens while they're cooking to make sure the skin gets that golden crispness. This works particularly well with the rotisserie grill!