Roasted Cornish Hens for Two

By jz8tkz

The perfect roasted cornish hen recipe for two! If you're looking to impress that special someone, this dish is for you.

Ingredients

• BRINE:
• 10 - 12 cups water
• 3/4 cup sea salt
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1 large bay leaf
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• SEASONING:
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• Salt and pepper
• 2 small bunches fresh cilantro
• 2 whole cornish hens (1 to 1 1/2 pounds each)

Details

Servings 2

Preparation

Step 1

Bring the brine ingredients to a boil. Allow to cool to room temperature. Place hens in brine, cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least eight hours. Remove the birds from the brine and rinse with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.

Set oven to 400 degrees F. Place hens in a roasting pan and season liberally with dried thyme, salt and pepper, remembering to also season the cavity. Stuff the cavity of each bird with a handful of fresh cilantro. Roast in oven for 1 hour, rotating 180 degrees halfway through. If you find that the birds are getting too dark too quickly, cover with foil and continue to roast.

Remove from the oven, and let rest, covered in foil, for 10 minutes before serving.