GRILLED HERBED POUSSIN

By BobD

Ingredients

• 4 SERVINGS
• An herb paste smeared onto these birds adds a concentrated taste of summer; this works nicely with the poussins, since they're small enough to cook through before the herbs can threaten to burn.
• 1/4 cup chopped basil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary
• 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
• 2 fresh bay leaves, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 small garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 poussins (1 to 1 1/4 lb each) or small Cornish hens, backbones cut out and birds split in half

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from gourmet.com

Preparation

Step 1

Blend together herbs, oil, garlic, 1 Tbsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper in a blender until finely chopped, then rub all over poussins.

Prepare grill for indirect-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium-high heat for gas)

Oil grill rack, then grill poussins, skin sides down first, directly over coals, turning once, until well browned, 2 to 3 minutes.

Move poussins to area with no coals underneath and grill, covered, until just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes more. Transfer poussins to a platter and let stand 10 minutes.

COOKS NOTES:

Poussins can be rubbed with herb paste 1 day ahead and chilled.

To cook poussins indoors, brown them as above in a hot large ridged grill pan over medium-high heat, then cover with an inverted roasting pan.

Reduce heat to medium and cook about 18 minutes.