Cornish Hen: Beer roasted

By fsilver4

This is a phenominal recipe that has such an interesting flavor. It is earthy, yet not game like, and the juniper berries create a lovely pine flavor that only accentuates the beer. I highly recommend serving this with spaetzel (austrian noodles) or place the birds on a bed of potatoe mash. Don't forget to spoon a little sauce over the hen before serving.

Ingredients

• 2 rock cornish hens, split in half
• 10 cloves of whole garlic, peeled
• 1/4 pound of thick bacon strips, quartered
• 4 whole bay leaves
• 2 branches of rosemary, cut into pieces
• 1 tablespoon juniper berries
• 2 cups of dark beer

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven 450*

Season the hens well with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper and place in a single layer skin and breast side down in a small roasting pan or baking dish. Spread around garlic, bacon and rosemary. Scatter over the juniper berries. Pour the beer in the side of the dish as not to wash away the salt and pepper.

Bake 20 minutes. Turn the pieces and bake another 15 minutes. Turn again and bake 15 minutes longer. By now the meat should be sticky and cookes with an appearance of roasted chicken with a caramalized sauce. If the hens are done, but the sauce is still too watery, remove the hens, wrap in foil and reduce the sauce until it is a little thicker. Serve the hens with the sauce poured over the hens.