Recipe: Rock Cornish Game Hens with 40 cloves of Garlic

Rock Cornish Game Hens with 40 cloves of Garlic
net.cooks/S.Badian (1983)
Makes 4 servings

This is one of the most wonderful garlic recipes in the world. Be prepared to have your kitchen and probably your whole house smell like garlic for a while.

In a saucepan blanch 40 cloves (about 3 heads) of garlic in boiling water to cover for 10 minutes and drain them.

Sprinkle 4 hens, each weighing about 1 lb. inside and out with salt and pepper. Rub the hens with softened unsalted butter.

Spread 2 Tbsp softened butter in a flame-proof baking dish and arrange the hens, breast-side up.

Roast hens in the lower third of a preheated 425 oven for 10 minutes, turn them to the other side, and roast them, basting them with the pan juices, for 10 minutes more.

Reduce heat to 375, turn hens breast side up and distribute the garlic around them.

Roast hens, basting, for 20 minutes more, or until they are browned and the juices run clear when the fleshy part of the thigh is pricked.

Transfer hens to a platter, let them stand for 5 minutes.

Transfer the garlic with a slotted spoon to the platter, arranging it over the hens and keep the hens warm, covered.

Skim the fat from the pan juices, add 1/2 cup dry white wine and deglaze the pan over high heat, scraping bottom and sides.

Pour the mixture into a stainless or enameled saucepan and reduce it over high heat to about 2 Tbsp.

Add 3/4 cup chicken broth and 3 Tbsp minced parsley and reduce to 1/2 cup.

Remove from heat, swirl in 3 Tbsp softened, unsalted butter, add a little lemon juice, salt, pepper to taste.