Cornish hens with Fall Vegetable Medley
Ingredients
- 2 Cornish hens, halved along the breast and backbones
- Dried herbs (thyme, parsley, oregano and basil)
- Granulated garlic
- Kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
- Cooking sherry
- Olive oil ( 6-8 TBS.)
- Bay leaves (2)
- 6-8 large carrots, peeled and chopped into small cubes
- 2 stalks celery, cut into small pieces
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 ½ lb. fresh mushrooms
Technique
Wash and pat Cornish hens dry with paper towels to remove excess water. Season with herbs, granulated garlic, kosher salt and black pepper on both sides. Heat olive oil in large shallow Dutch oven until hot. Add Cornish hens to oven, being careful not to overcrowd. Lower heat to medium and brown hens on each side. Remove and set aside. Add little more oil if needed to pot and add onion and sauté until glazed. Add celery, mushrooms and carrots and cook for 5-8 minutes stirring occasionally. Add fresh garlic and cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Add Cornish hens, bay leaves and sherry to pot. Cover and place in a preheated 350-degree oven and bake for 45 minutes. Remove lid and bake an additional 15-20 minutes.
Serve with sautéed spinach or green beans. A homemade applesauce is also nice as a side dish with this recipe.
Bon apetit!
