Lavender And Thyme Roasted Poussins 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.

TIE ME UP POUSSIN WITH MADEIRA SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Wash and pat dry each poussin. Tuck 1 sage leaf under the skin of each breast. Season the inside of each cavity liberally with salt. Stuff each cavity with 1 lemon wedge and a generous amount of fresh thyme, rosemary, and sage. Truss each poussin (see Cook's Note**). Evenly coat each poussin with 2 tablespoons of the butter. Place the poussins breast side up on a baking tray and refrigerate for 20 minutes to let the butter harden.
• Heat large saute pan over high heat and place poussin in pan breast side up. Sear for 2 minutes and then place in oven. Roast for 40 minutes, or until the juices run clear from the hip joint (about 160 degrees F). Remove from the oven. Set the poussins aside in a warm place to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Skim most of the fat from the saute pan and set aside drippings to finish Madeira Sauce. Remove the butcher's string from poussins. Serve each person 1/2 poussin drizzled with 1 to 2 ounces of the Madeira Sauce. Garnish on a bed of greens with pomegranate seeds.
• After skimming most of the fat drippings from the pan, return the pan to medium heat. Add the Madeira and simmer until the liquid is reduced by two thirds. Add the heavy cream and bring to a boil. Remove pan from heat, swirl in butter. Season with salt and serve with poussin.

LAVENDER AND THYME ROASTED POUSSINS

Steps:

• With a mortar and pestle coarsely crush lavender and in a small bowl stir together with butter, thyme, zest, and salt and pepper to taste until combined well. Spoon mixture onto a sheet of plastic wrap and form into a 4-inch-long log. Chill compound butter, wrapped well in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 30 minutes, and up to 3 days.
• Preheat oven to 475° F.
• Discard gizzards from birds and trim necks flush with bodies if necessary. Rinse birds inside and out and pat dry. Starting at neck end of each bird, slide fingers between meat and skin to loosen skin (be careful not to tear skin). Cut butter into sixteen 1/4-inch-thick slices and gently push 4 slices under skin of each bird, putting 1 slice over each breast half and thigh. Tie legs of each bird together with kitchen string and secure wings to sides with wooden picks or bamboo skewers.
• Arrange birds in a flameproof roasting pan large enough to hold them without crowding. Gently rub birds with lemon halves, squeezing juice over them, and season with salt and pepper. 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.
• Transfer birds to a platter and loosely cover with foil to keep warm. Add Sauternes to roasting pan and deglaze over moderate heat, scraping up brown bits. Transfer jus to a small saucepan. Skim fat from jus and simmer until reduced to about 1/2 cup.
• Garnish birds with herbs and serve with jus.

BUTTERMILK ROASTED POUSSIN WITH ROSEMARY POLENTA CHIPS

Steps:

• The day before you want to have the poussin, remove it from its packaging, cutting away the string tied round it, and place in a large freezer bag or baking dish. Combine the buttermilk, lemon zest, half the garlic (save the rest for the polenta chips), the honey, mustard, the leaves from 1 thyme sprig, a small pinch of salt and a good grinding of black pepper to make a marinade. Pour into the bag, then seal it and squish everything around so that the poussin is coated in the marinade - if using a baking dish, coat the bird in the marinade, then cover with cling film. Chill overnight.
• To make the polenta chips, line a 2lb loaf tin with cling film. Cook the polenta following pack instructions, then stir in the Parmesan, remaining garlic, the rosemary and season well. Tip into the tin, spread out and smooth the surface. Leave to cool, then cover and chill for at least 30 mins (can be left in the fridge overnight).
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Remove the poussin from the marinade and sit in a roasting tin. Stuff with the lemon quarters and remaining thyme sprigs. Drizzle with oil, season and tie the ends of the legs together with string. Roast for 35-40 mins, basting every so often. Meanwhile, turn the chilled polenta out onto a chopping board and cut into fat chips - you should have 10. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan, add some of the polenta chips and cook, turning every so often, until really crisp, then transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper. Repeat with the remaining chips, adding more oil as needed. Transfer to a baking tray. Remove the poussin from the oven and leave to rest in the tin for 20 mins. Keep the polenta chips warm in the oven while the poussin is resting.
• Sieve the juices from the poussin roasting tin into a small saucepan. Remove the top layer of fat, then bring to a simmer. Add the Sherry vinegar, heat through, taste for seasoning, then transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle the polenta chips with salt. Serve the poussin on a plate with some lamb's lettuce and the chips, with the poussin juices and some mayonnaise alongside for dipping the chips.

ROASTED POUSSINS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk oil, vinegar, and mustard until well combined. Whisk in garlic, chives, thyme, oregano, dry mustard, salt, and pepper; set aside. Rinse poussins well under cold water. Pat dry.
• Using kitchen shears, cut along either side of backbone; remove it. Turn over; gently flatten. Place marinade in a large resealable plastic bag; add poussins. Seal; turn bag to coat them with marinade. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Position a rack in center. Place a flat roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet. Coat rack with spray; set aside.
• Remove poussins from marinade, letting excess drip off; place on rack, breast side up. Tuck wing tips under body. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; roast until golden and cooked through, about 50 minutes. Cut each in half through breast; serve.

THYME-ROASTED POUSSIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
• Rinse the poussins and season the cavities with salt and pepper. Rub each with 1/4 teaspoon olive oil. Fill each cavity with a lemon wedge, 2 sprigs each of thyme and marjoram, and 1 crushed garlic clove.
• Loosen the skin from the breast of each poussin. Slide a sprig each of thyme and marjoram between the skin and the breast. Spoon the Cognac (1/2 tablespoon per bird) into the breast pockets of each poussin. Truss with kitchen string.
• On a roasting rack set in a roasting pan, roast for 30 minutes, or until the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a fork.

ROASTED POUSSINS WITH ANISEED, THYME AND ORANGE ZEST

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place the poussins in a roasting pan, and bring to room temperature.
• In a small bowl, stir together the thyme leaves, orange zest, aniseed, mustard and olive oil. Add salt and pepper. Spread a little of the mixture inside the birds. Place two onion quarters inside each bird. Spread remaining mustard paste on skin.
• Roast until birds' thigh juices run clear, 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. Remove birds to cutting board and let rest 10 minutes.
• To prepare gravy, place roasting pan over medium-high heat, and add the vermouth. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up pan drippings. Bring vermouth to a boil. Add 1/2 cup water; bring to boil. Stir in the cream. Taste, and adjust seasoning. Carve birds. Serve, passing gravy on side.

LAVENDER AND HONEY ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive bowl and stir thoroughly.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F Season a whole chicken or chicken pieces (leave the skin on) with salt and pepper. Roast the chicken for 30 minutes (reduce time for a smaller bird such as a poussin or cornish hen).
• Baste with the lavender honey marinade every 5 minutes or so for an additional 30 minutes or until completely cooked. The bird is done when a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F Do not overcook.
• [Chef's Note: Once the bird has browned nicely, you can cover it with foil until it is finished cooking to prevent the skin and marinade from burning. Once finished, you can brush additional marinade between the flesh and the skin.].