Savoring Savannah is the first book to bring together the unique character of Savannah cuisine through the creations of her leading chefs. Featuring five chefs, all with regional name recognition, whose styles range from traditional Savannah cooking to New Southern cuisine, Savoring Savannah takes Southern cooking beyond just grits and greens to a new level of regional creativity. These chefs place their own delectable twist on Southern food, updating many Low Country ingredients and dishes while introducing us to the places and people that make Savannah what it is. Each chef contributes two feast menus, complete with all the recipes and lore you’ll need to relish the true taste of Savannah.
Chef George Spriggs Rock Cornish game hens are a fancy version of the Southern staple, chicken. They are particularly tender and hold their flavor better than fryers or roasters. This recipe uses fresh herbs from the garden. Left crusted on the bird at serving time, the herbs provide a delicate touch of freshness.
Makes 8 servings
4 plump Rock Cornish game hens
Juice of 2 lemons
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup fresh sage, chopped
1/4 cup fresh thyme, chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 to 8 large cloves garlic, minced
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Cut the hens in half and then into quarters-two leg quarters and two breast quarters. Remove the breast bones. Rinse and dry the hen quarters and put them in a wide, shallow dish. Pour the lemon juice over, making sure to coat all the surfaces.
Combine the fresh herbs in a bowl. Spread half of the olive oil, half of the garlic, and half of the fresh herb mixture evenly over the surface of a rimmed baking sheet. Place the hen portions on top. Generously coat the hens with salt, pepper, and the remaining garlic. Spread the remaining herbs over the hens and then drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat the vegetable oil in a nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. Remove the hens from the baking dish and brush away any large or dangling herb pieces. Saute for about 3 minutes per side, until brown.
Place the hens and the herb, garlic, and oil marinade in a baking dish or Dutch oven, cover, and roast for 40 minutes, until the skin is golden to dark brown and crisp at the edges and the internal temperature registers 150 degrees F on a meat thermometer. The herbs should become dark but should not be burnt.
Serve two hen quarters (a leg and abreast) to each person.
