Irene's Cornish Hens with Tarragon and Calvados |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 1 |
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In France, Barbara Bennett was treated to a home-cooked meal by her Parisian friend Irene. The main course was Cornish hens in a creamy tarragon sauce. It's a dish Bennett has duplicated many times since-with fond memories. Ingredients:
2 cornish hens (1 3/4 to 2 lb. each) |
1 to 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine |
1/3 cup chopped shallots |
1/2 cup calvados or dry white wine |
1/3 cup fat-skimmed chicken broth |
1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon or 1 tablespoon dried tarragon |
3/4 cup crème fraîche or whipping cream |
tarragon or parsley sprigs |
salt and white pepper |
Directions:
1. With poultry shears or a knife, cut each hen in half lengthwise through breastbone and backbone. Rinse and pat dry. Reserve giblets for other uses.
2. Set halves, skin side up, in a 9- by 13-inch pan. Brush skin with melted butter, then sprinkle with the shallots.
3. Bake in a 425° oven until meat at thigh bone is no longer pink (cut to test), about 40 minutes (35 minutes in a convection oven). Transfer hens to a platter; keep warm.
4. Spoon off and discard fat from pan drippings. Add calvados, broth, and tarragon to drippings. Set pan over medium-high heat and stir to scrape brown particles free.
5. Whisk in crème fraîche. Turn heat to high and boil until mixture is reduced to 3/4 cup, 5 to 8 minutes. Pour sauce into a bowl. Garnish hens with tarragon sprigs and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with sauce.
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