BROILED CORNISH HENS WITH LEMON AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR

Broiled Cornish Hens With Lemon And Balsamic Vinegar image

Provided by Mark Bittman

Time 30m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

Ingredients

2 Cornish hens
1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, or to taste
Chopped parsley for garnish, optional

Steps:

Preheat the broiler, and adjust the rack to about 4 inches from the heat source. Use a sharp, sturdy knife to split the hens through their backbones; it will cut through without too much effort. Rub the skin side with olive oil. Flatten the hens in a broiling or roasting pan, skin side down, and liberally sprinkle the exposed surfaces with salt and pepper. Slice one lemon as thinly as you can (a mandoline is best for this) and lay the slices on the birds.
Broil for about 10 minutes, or until the lemon is browned and the birds appear cooked on top; rotate the pan if necessary. Turn the birds over, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and return to the heat. Cook another 10 minutes, or until the skin is nicely browned. Meanwhile, slice the remaining lemon as thinly as possible.
Lay the lemon slices on the skin, and broil 5 minutes. The lemons should be slightly browned and the birds cooked through; if not, cook a couple of minutes more. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar, garnish with parsley and serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 393, UnsaturatedFat 19 grams, Carbohydrate 4 grams, Fat 29 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 29 grams, SaturatedFat 7 grams, Sodium 477 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram