468274 Mon Dec 10 16:19:41 -0800 2007 15 31 Home Cooking 0 3196533 I tried to search but couldn't find info on flash roasting little hens. Many years ago I accidentally flash roasted cornish hens. I put them in a 425 -450 (don't remember) oven and after about 10 minutes or so (I really can't remember that either) I turned the oven off to go for a walk with a neighbor. I'm guessing I returned home about 45-60 minutes later and they were perfectly done. Crispy skin, juicy meat. Does anyone know what I did? I want to do this again and I don't want to ruin them. tia :) Mon Dec 10 16:19:41 -0800 2007 40464 OysterHo 1 3196571 Here's my recipe. It's possible I posted it on this board a while back - which would explain why the amazing identical name! This is delicious - I make it occasionally for big family to-dos by multiplying the recipe to accommodate as many people as I need to feed. If you like your veggies a bit more done, you might want to par-cook them a bit (I usually don't bother, though). Flash-Roasted Cornish Hens 4 cornish hens, split in half 4 onions, sliced 2 stalks celery, sliced 4 cups baby carrots 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tsp. crumbled dried thyme 2 tsp. crumbled dried rosemary 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper 1 cup white wine (or chicken broth) Preheat the oven to 500o F (260 C). In a large roasting pan, combine the sliced onions, celery, baby carrots, and about half of the olive oil. Sprinkle with about half of the thyme and rosemary and toss together to mix. Onto this bed of veggies, place the cornish hen halves, skin-side-up. Brush with the remaining olive oil, and sprinkle with the remaining thyme, rosemary, and the salt and pepper. Set aside until about 40 minutes before you’ll want to eat. (If you’re serving an an appetizer and soup, begin roasting just as you sit down to dinner. And take your time.) Place the pan on the middle shelf of the preheated oven and roast for 15 minutes, undisturbed. Pour in the wine or broth, stir the vegetables around a bit, and let roast until the vegetables are cooked and the cornish hens are nicely browned - about 15 to 20 minutes longer. Makes 8 servings. Mon Dec 10 16:32:44 -0800 2007 3196533 12383 Nyleve 2 3196584 That sounds really good. Thank you. You leave it at 500 the entire time? Mon Dec 10 16:39:26 -0800 2007 3196571 40464 OysterHo 3 3196705 Yep. 500 the whole time. They turn out great. Mon Dec 10 17:24:25 -0800 2007 3196584 12383 Nyleve 4 3341492 Could you put them on a bed of potatoes? My DH won't eat any of the vegetables mentioned. Or are the vegetable just to add flavor as in a roast? Mon Jan 28 12:38:50 -0800 2008 3196705 80937 danhole 4 3341502 Could you put them on a bed of potatoes, instead of the vegetables? My DH won't eat any of the named ones. Mon Jan 28 12:40:57 -0800 2008 3196705 80937 danhole 5 3342563 I can't see why you couldn't use potatoes. If that's the case, I might precook the potatoes slightly, though. Not sure if they would be fully done in the 30 to 40 minutes cooking time. Might be, if they're sliced thinly enough. Let me know if you do it - great variation if it works. Mon Jan 28 17:26:12 -0800 2008 3341502 12383 Nyleve 6 3344154 Thanks Nyleve. I was thinking that I would thinly slice some red potatoes, put them in for about 15 minutes at a lower temp and then put the hens on top at the 500 degrees. I am only going to cook two of them, so would I adjust the timing? Tue Jan 29 08:44:20 -0800 2008 3342563 80937 danhole 7 3344592 That sounds like a good plan. Don't adjust the timing after the hens are in - what's on the bottom of the pan won't have any affect on the cooking time. Would you consider adding some onions to the potatoes? That's what I would do. Tue Jan 29 10:27:05 -0800 2008 3344154 12383 Nyleve 8 3344632 Yes, in very big chunks so the DH can pick them out! Tue Jan 29 10:36:37 -0800 2008 3344592 80937 danhole 5 3345395 I have made cornish hens Vesuvio for Mr Diane and myself when there are just 2 of us. I use 450 in the convection onion, line the roasting pan with foil. Butterfly 2 cornish hens. Thinly slice 2 large russet baking potatoes and slice 1 medium onion. Scatter on bottom of roasting pan. season with 1-2 T EVOO, 1-2 T dry white wine, s&p, garlic to taste (we like lots), 1 T dried oregano, 1 T dried crumbled rosemary and 1 T lemon juice. Place butterflied hens skin side down, also seasoned with same mixture as potatoes on roasting pan. Bake for 20-25 min. turn hens skin side up and baste potatoes. Roast for another 20-25 min. Let hens sit 10 min to rest, continue roasting potatoes to crisp up. Must admit the cornish hens we get are fresh and are pretty big, they do need total of 40-50 min cooking time. We love this dish with a garlicky cesar salad. This also makes a great party dish as you can prepare in advance. Not much to do for 50 or so min while hens & potatoes cook, perfect time for a cocktail & app. I always serve 1 hen per guest, but admit that's often too much for everyone. Mr. Diane can eat 1 1/2 hens, so there' no waste when its just us. The leftovers make terrific chicken salad, but that's another recipe. Tue Jan 29 13:12:47 -0800 2008 3341502 15139 Diane in Bexley 1 3344659 Two hens in the oven last night at casa jfood. He purchased 2 verticle roater gizmos (hen sized) a few years ago and used them. Into the 425 convection. 25 minutes later two beautifully browned and delicious specimens for the dish. Why people think cornish hens are so hard to make is beyond jfood. They are fantatstic to serve when the dinner size is >=10. Tue Jan 29 10:42:35 -0800 2008 3196533 11290 jfood 2 3345267 This cornish hen recipe is something I've served for up to 20 people. With a bunch of other dishes on the menu, most people really only want half a hen - so you're only dealing with 10 hens, split. These can be arranged in two large roasting pans and it turns out so impressive. I used to know someone who actually was able to completely de-bone cornish hens, stuff them, and roast them. Now THAT was impressive. I can't imagine. And he wasn't even a surgeon or anything. Tue Jan 29 12:49:06 -0800 2008 3344659 12383 Nyleve 3 3345289 Hate to tell you this but jfood once de-boned 15 hens for a dinner. And for the record, it was very tedious, but once you figured out where to cut first it went better. and you would not believe the faces when people could cut through the skin, the meat and the stuffing in one stroke. Tue Jan 29 12:52:47 -0800 2008 3345267 11290 jfood 4 3345871 jfood - you need a blog with photos! How do you de-bone chickens, or whatever? I would love to have that skill. Tue Jan 29 14:58:23 -0800 2008 3345289 80937 danhole 5 3346388 Actually I don't personally want the skill myself, but I'd like to be married to someone with that skill. Tue Jan 29 17:39:07 -0800 2008 3345871 12383 Nyleve