The Hen Party

On the last day of Christmas…

Normally for the big dinner on Christmas day we enjoy a juicy, delicious bird and this year was no different but I went even smaller than the usual pheasants. My son is not a turkey lover and quite frankly I could do without it so pheasants have been an equally expensive but much more flavourful substitute for the traditional turkey. This year I chose to do things a bit differently and more cost effectively so I picked up some Cornish hens from Quebec. I knew they were easy to cook and wouldn't require my usual brine for bigger birds.  As per norm I was winging the rest of the recipe, right there on the spot. As I wandered the aisles of the store I came up with the stuffing recipe and I think it sells it. It is a bit of an unconventional stuffing but it is made from easily accessible ingredients that can be locally sourced and balances nicely with the more traditional side dishes that I served with the little birds.

This is not an overly expensive meal but it is enough of a price hike for most families to ensure that this is a special occasion menu for holidays and the impress-the-future-mother-in-law evenings. 

The choice of mushroom and breadcrumbs is yours and is easily interchangeable according to your tastes but I do recommend the use of dried mushrooms and the liquid to add a wonderful depth of flavour. Porcini is my favourite go-to dried fungus but were not available. I used Morels instead, adding a whole new texture to file away in my brain …  shudder… but the flavour more than makes up for its tripe-like feel.

What you need to know

This is a menu with recipes that require some general skill in the kitchen but no more than that. A knowledge of the ingredients used is assumed and I present the recipe with the added assumption that the cook has access to a mid-sized city market. 

Caramelizing Onions:

Caramelizing onions is one of those things that can only be done one way - slowly and with love. Choose sweet onions that are uniform in size, as much as it is possible. This recipe calls for only one onion but some recipes will call for more and it is best to cook in batches, which of course takes some time to do. Ideally, take an afternoon and cook up onions all day, seal them in an airtight container, in portion sizes and freeze.

Thinly slice or chop small as many sweet onions as the recipe calls for and add them to a pan that has had a butter/oil mixture warming up to bubbling. Add some brown sugar, just enough to encourage the onions natural sugars to come out and say hello, about 1 tsp per cup of chopped onion. Lower the heat to medium-low, put a lid on loosely to vent steam and just let it be. This will take anywhere from 25 to 35 minutes, with occasional stirring. When done the onions should be a lovely golden brown, translucent and very soft. 

To store in the fridge or freezer, add a dollop of olive oil to container holding the onions and mix gently.

Stuffed Cornish Hens

Ingredients

3 plump Cornish hens, rinsed and patted dry
herb blend - mine was Herbes de Provence, salt, pepper and thyme
Olive for rubbing the hens

Stuffing
1 pkg Ardennes style paté
1/2 of a small round of camembert cheese
1 sweet onion, chopped small and caramelized
8oz cremini mushrooms, sliced and sautéed with the onions
1 pkg reconstituted Morel mushrooms, chopped + soaking liquid
3/4 c breadcrumbs (One croissant + Panko crumbs)
1 honey crisp apple, cored and chopped
thyme

Place paté, cheese and apple in food processor and mix until well blended and creamy. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. This will be a soft mixture. Fill cavity of hens. Put leftover mixture into a baking pan, smoothed flat, and cook for approx 25-30 minutes on the top rack, just until there is a crust on the bottom but the top is not dried out.

Tie up the legs with butcher string. Rub oil over the skin of the bird and sprinkle herb blend generously. Place in pan, breast side up, cover loosely with foil and roast at 375 degrees F for about 1 1/2 hours or until juices run clear. Remove the foil for the last 20 minutes of roasting to brown the skin, basting occasionally.  Let the birds rest for 10 minutes before plating and serving.

Ruby Roasted Root Vegetables
Ingredients

4 parsnips, washed and cut into manageable chunks
1 rutabaga, pared and cut into chunks
4 beets, washed and cut into chunks
Olive oil
Herb blend of thyme, oregano, salt and pepper
brown sugar

Place vegetables in a roasting pan large enough to hold one layer of vegetables. Drizzle with oil, herb blend and brown sugar. Toss to mix well. Roast on the top rack for approx 1/2 hour or until cooked through and browned. Move to a serving dish and keep warm.

Beans Almondine
Ingredients

Three large handfuls of whole green beans, topped and tailed
2 tbsps butter
1/4 cup blanched, sliced almonds
squirt of lemon juice

Roast, steam or microwave the green beans until done. Brown your butter over low heat until a nice golden colour and add the almonds. Pour over the green beans and keep warm.





all photographs and text ©michelle levasseur The Groaning Board 2014