tarragon mustard cornish hens
Photo by The Culinary Nest + Jaclyn Misch
Don’t let these little guys scare you off! Cornish Hens are simple to make and can be such elegant main dish for you, two or a group. This version is a French inspired recipe using ingredients such as dijon mustard & tarragon. Jaclyn Misch (@jaclynmisch, Wine Educator + Marketer) and I collaborated on this spread + wine pairing for the French Ministry of Agriculture and the result was STUNNING + MOUTHWATERING. The wine that she chose for this dish is 2017 Bourhcard Père & Fils Borgogne. You can find her blog post about the collab here. Give it a try!
For some festive holiday flare, we added cranberries and citrus, just look at those colors! You can easily make this dish more savory by adding onion + lemon as a substitute. Also, feel free to play with the herb variation, thyme + rosemary would be delicious alternatives! Pair this dish with Green Bean Gremolata with a Twist + Honey Cumin Roasted Carrots.
Recipe by: The Culinary Nest
MAKES
4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
4 Cornish hens, thawed and brought to room temperature (set out 30 minutes before prep time)
1 cup dry white wine
4 bunches tarragon sprigs
2 oranges, quartered lengthwise
6-8 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt & Pepper
EVOO
2 cups cranberries
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Kitchen twine or string (optional)
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 375˚F.
Clean your hens thoroughly under cold water. Pat dry using paper towel, make sure to dry under the legs, wings and in the cavity (this helps the skin brown). Places the hens breast side up into the roasting pan. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the cranberries, white wine vinegar & brown sugar. Mix well and set aside.
In a small bowl combine the softened butter, dijon mustard, garlic and a 1/8 teaspoon (or just a good pinch!) of each salt & pepper.
Using your fingers, gently separate the skin from the breasts of the hens and place about a tablespoon of the garlic mustard mixture under the skin above both sides of the breasts on each hen.
Place a 2-3 sprigs of tarragon inside each cavity of the hen along with a quarter of orange. Drizzle a little EVOO over the top of each hen and use to hands to ensure the wings, legs, and entire breasts are coated. Generously salt and pepper the outside of each hen and then sprinkle the paprika over the top of each evenly.
Using kitchen twine, tie together the legs of each hen for even cooking and to hold the cavity ingredients in place. (If you don’t have twine or string that’s okay! It’s preferred but not absolutely needed!)
Place the rest of the orange quarters on the bottom of the pan in the open spaces between the hens. Sprinkle the cranberries evenly into the open spaces (you want these around the hen, not on top). Add the dry white wine into the bottom of the pan, make sure not to pour directly on top of the hens to prevent from rinsing off the seasoning. If you have any tarragon sprigs remaining, add them to the spaces between the hens.
Place the hens into the oven uncovered for 35 minutes-45 minutes or until the internal temperature of the hen reaches 165˚F using a meat thermometer.
Let rest for 10 minutes covered with foil, and then enjoy immediately!
