Around our house, Easter means dining at home and inviting a few friends over for Sunday supper to celebrate our faith and to usher in the new season. I especially love creating new recipes to add to the celebration. This recipe for Smoky Lemon Garlic Cornish Hens with a touch of honey is one of my latest creations that is sure to please even the most finicky eater around your table. The combination of savory, tangy and sweet for this Cornish Hen recipe is a delightful symphony of flavors that are sure to leave you satisfied. Depending on where you purchase, you can usually find them at a reasonable price. To determine how many to purchase, calculate 1/2 hen per adult and 1/4 per child. And by all means, throw in a couple of extras for a second helping.
4 Fresh Cornish Hens
Juice of 2 large lemons
1 lemon cut into quarters
1 tablespoon each dried – thyme, basil, oregano, rosemary(crushed)
1 tablespoon coarse black pepper
4 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/4 cup soy sauce
4 large garlic cloves
1 1/2 dozen petite red potatoes, washed
Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Rinse and clean inside cavity of cornish hens. Place hens in a a large oven-proof baking dish. Tie legs together and tuck under wings. Insert 1/4 lemon and 1 large clove garlic inside cavity of each hen. Place potatoes in a bowl and season with one half of the herbs and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add to the pan placing around the hens. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
In a small sauce pan add herbs, lemon juice black pepper, honey, butter, liquid smoke and soy sauce. Bring to a simmer over a low flame, stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Remove hens from oven and baste with soy sauce mixture. Return to oven and bake an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven and repeat basting and baking process for an additional 20 minutes or until hens are done. Test for doneness by inserting a fork at the thickest part of the hen between the leg and thigh. If the liquid runs clear, the hens are done.
*Note – do not add salt to baste nor to hens as soy sauce is high in sodium. If you are on a sodium restricted diet, choose one with low sodium.
