Greek Roasted Poussin Recipes

LAVENDER AND THYME ROASTED POUSSINS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 475°F/250°C.
• Using a fork, smash the lavender, thyme, zest, salt and pepper into the butter until well mixed to create a compound butter.
• Pat the birds dry. Take a bird and very gently slide fingers between meat and skin to loosen the skin from the body (be careful not to tear the skin), both over the breast meat and the thigh.
• Take the compound butter and slide it up into the pockets of skin you have created over the breast but also making sure to also smear some butter over the thigh. You can tie the legs of each bird together or nestle them together snugly in the baking dish, preferably a flameproof one that is safe for your stovetop.
• Cut one lemon in half and divide each half into quarters for a total of eight pieces. Stuff each bird with four pieces of lemon. (Using smaller pieces allows you to more effectively stuff the small cavity of the poussin). Take the second lemon, cut in half, and squeeze one half over both birds.
• Roast birds in middle of oven 30 minutes (for poussins) to 45 minutes (for Cornish hens), or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of a thigh (be careful not to touch bone) registers 170° F. Check after 25 minutes.
• Put the roasted birds on a platter and loosely cover with foil to keep warm.
• Add Sauternes to roasting pan and put over moderate heat, deglazing the pan by scraping up the brown bits. Simmer until the liquid is reduced to a sauce. (If your roasting pan is not safe for the burner, transfer the chicken juices to a saucepan, then add the wine and simmer). Spoon over your poussins and serve.
• Accompany your birds with roasted fingerling potatoes and crusty artisinal bread that can sop of the flavorful sauce.

CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place the sliced onion in the bottom of a roasting pan. Remove the giblets from the hens, and rinse them inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outsides dry. Place the hens on top of the sliced onion.
• Pack the cavities of the hens with the cornbread stuffing.
• Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the hens. Rub the hens with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Roast the hens for 30 minutes, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh.
• Melt the butter in a large saute pan. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Break the cornbread into pieces and place the pieces in a large bowl. Add the onion mixture to the cornbread. Add the celery, chicken stock, parsley, salt and pepper, and mix together.
• Yield: 2 servings

GREEK ROASTED POUSSIN

Steps:

• 1. Gently pan fry the onion and garlic in a dash of oil until tender and well cooked , but not brown. 2. In a large bowl, mix together the cooked onion mixture with the lemon rind, olives, marjoram, breadcrumbs, lemon juice and eggs with a good seasoning of with salt and pepper. 3. Wash the poussin and dry with paper towels inside and out. Fill the cavity with the stuffing. Twist the wings underneath the body. Place a lemon slice of two on top of the poussin and then tie the lemon slices, legs and wings in place with string. Place on a shallow baking tray. Brush the poussins liberally with melted butter. 4. Roast at 180°C on fan bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden and thoroughly cooked. Collect any juice from the baking tray and serve with the poussin.