40 CLOVES OF GARLIC ROASTED CORNISH HEN

40 Cloves of Garlic Roasted Cornish Hen image

Number Of Ingredients 10

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40 cloves Garlic, large cloves halved
13 sprigs Fresh oregano
1 Large yellow onion peeled and cut into 1/4-inch half moons
1 rib Celery, cut into 1/4-inch crescents
2 Dried bay leaves
3 Cornish game hens
3 Lemons, cut into quarters lengthwise
1/4 cup Dry white wine
1/2 to 1 cup cup Homemade Chicken Stock
1 1/2 teaspoons Unsalted butter, melted

Steps:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut 6 garlic cloves crosswise into very thin slices. Set aside in a small bowl. In another small bowl, set aside 12 cloves. Pick leaves from 3 or 4 springs oregano, and set aside in a small bowl. Place remaining garlic cloves and oregano, onion, celery, and bay leaves in the bottom of a medium nonstick roasting pan.
With your finger, gently loosen the skin on the breast of the hens. Gently slide a few garlic slices and a few oregano leaves under the skin in a single layer. Place 4 garlic cloves, 1 sprig oregano, and 2 lemon wedges in the cavity of each hen; set aside remaining lemon wedges.
Tie each hen's legs together with kitchen twine. Tuck wings under breast; place hens in pan over the garlic mixture.
Add wine and 1/2 cup chicken stock to pan. Brush the skin with melted butter; transfer pan to oven.
Cook, basting occasionally and adding more chicken stock to pan if dry, until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.when measured with a meat thermometer, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove hens from pan, and set aside on a board to rest 5 minutes before serving with reserved lemon wedges.