CORNISH HENS WITH ROASTED-GARLIC AïOLI

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image



Cornish Hens with Roasted-Garlic Aïoli image

Provided by Paul Grimes

Categories     Chicken     Citrus     Garlic     Herb     Roast     Quick & Easy     Summer     Gourmet

Yield Makes 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 whole heads of garlic
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 Cornish hens (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lb each), rinsed and patted dry
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup bottled mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
Special Equipment
kitchen string; a small (13- by 9-inch) roasting pan; an instant-read thermometer

Steps:

  • Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 500°F.
  • Trim off and discard about 1/4 inch from top of garlic heads to expose cloves, then put heads on a sheet of foil. Spoon oil over garlic, then wrap up foil tightly to enclose. Roast garlic on oven rack until very soft, about 40 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, season hens inside and out with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Tie legs together with string and tuck wing tips under. Transfer to roasting pan and roast alongside garlic until hens are golden brown and thermometer registers 170°F when inserted into leg joint, 30 to 40 minutes. Let stand, loosely covered with foil, 15 minutes.
  • Unwrap garlic carefully and cool slightly, then squeeze pulp into a bowl. Add remaining ingredients (including salt and pepper plus 2 tablespoons pan juices from hens if desired) and stir until combined well.
  • Halve hens lengthwise. Serve with aioli.

There are no comments yet!