FRICASSEE OF GAME HEN WITH CREAMY LEEKS AND VADOUM

Fricassee of Game Hen with Creamy Leeks and Vadoum image

Provided by Paul Grimes

Yield Makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

For stock:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Backbones and wing tips from 3 Cornish hens
6 cups cold water
3 cups chopped reserved leek greens (see below)
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 large thyme sprigs
1 whole clove
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon black peppercorns
For fricassee:
3 Cornish hens, quartered, backbones and wing tips removed with kitchen shears
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 leeks (about 3 pounds), greens reserved for stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup vadouvan

Steps:

Make stock:
Heat oil in a heavy medium pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Cook backbones and wing tips until well browned on all sides. Add water and bring to a boil, skimming froth occasionally. Add remaining ingredients and boil, uncovered, 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing on and then discarding solids. Boil stock until reduced to about 2 cups.
Make fricassee:
Pat hens dry and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown hens in batches (without crowding), turning once, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.
Halve white and pale green parts of leeks lengthwise, then cut into 1-inch pieces and wash. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet, then cook leeks with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally and scraping up brown bits, until leeks begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add wine and bring to a boil. Stir in stock, cream, and vadouvan. Nestle hens, skin sides up, into leeks. Cover with a round of parchment paper. Gently simmer 10 minutes. Remove parchment and simmer until hens are cooked through, about 10 minutes more. Transfer hens to a platter and simmer sauce to thicken slightly if desired.