Do WHAT to the bird??

Cornish game hens are on the agenda for this weekend, and so is a unique way to prepare a bird for cooking- spatchcocking. Spatch huh? You heard me, spatchcocking. While this is not a new way to prepare poultry for roasting, it's gaining in popularity thanks to cooking television and food bloggers and a greatly increased interest in preparing delicious food at home. The easy definition of spatchcocking is removing the backbone, and sometimes the sternum, and laying the bird out flat, similar to butterflying. So similar the terms are sometimes interchanged. The result is more even cooking and a greatly reduced cooking time. 

Cornish game hens have been one of my favorite birds pretty much my whole life. My dad would often roast Cornish hens with some fabulous glaze recipe he found in a magazine or cookbook, or later when he got a fancy grill with an electric spit- rotisserie hens. Funny how so many of my food stories start with Dad. He really is someone who inspired my love of cooking and learning about food.

Cornish game hens been around since the mid 1950s and they really are kind of a funny thing. They aren't game birds at all, in fact they are just very young chickens, around thirty days of age, your typical broiler-fryer chicken. They aren't necessarily "hens" either- they can be either male or female birds. Different breeds of bird result in different sizes of hens, different size of the breast meat. They are perfect for a one or two person serving and make a lovely presentation when roasted, like a teeny tiny roast turkey.

Let's get this show on the road and spatchcock these little guys. First of all, I rinse the hens thoroughly under cold running water. Just a gentle stream, not a gushing waterfall. Despite the "experts" saying you might spread chicken bacteria around if you wash the bird, I've seen how some processing companies are. I'm washing my bird. Your choice if you do or don't. 

Then I dry the skin with paper towels. I'm going to be cutting into the raw bird so I want the skin dry and not slippery. Turn the bird so the back is facing up. I place the bird on a sheet pan with a rim to contain any liquid that might be inside. 

Starting at the thigh end, use a heavy duty kitchen shears to cut alongside the backbone, up one side, then turn and down the other side. Discard the backbone, unless you save scraps for stock. 

Flip the bird over on the pan and press down firmly on the middle of the breast to flatten. If you have difficulty getting your hen to flatten, you can flip it over and use the shears to cut out the sternum. I have not had to do this with small hens, only larger birds like turkeys.

That's all there is to it! Your hen is now ready to cook, and with a lot more skin exposed for crisping up and becoming beautifully browned and tasty. Before we get to that part though, we are going to brine our hens in a salt water bath flavored with a handful of herbs. The brine produces a succulent and juicy bird- you're going to want to do this to every bird from now on.

To make the brine, in a large stockpot place one gallon warm water. Add 2/3 cup kosher salt, 1/3 cup sugar, and a handful of whatever herbs strike your fancy. Bouquet garni is nice, as are fines herbes. Place the hens in the brine, covering completely, and refrigerate overnight. Before cooking, drain off and discard the brine and rinse the birds. Pat the skin dry and you're ready to cook.

Pan Roasted Cornish Hens with Chimichurri

2 Cornish game hens

olive oil

salt and pepper

1 bunch Italian parsley (about 1 cup leaves)

1 bunch cilantro (about 1 cup leaves)

2 garlic cloves

1 heaping teaspoon finely minced preserved lemon*

1/2 cup olive oil**

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

*I am using my homemade preserved lemons. To use, I will scrape off and discard the soft flesh and thoroughly rinse the remaining peel. 

** I used Sinful Food Italian Herb olive oil for half the oil in this recipe. Get yours by clicking HERE.

Spatchcock the Cornish hens. Rub the skin with olive oil and season well on both sides with salt and pepper. 

Heat the oven to 375 degrees and heat a heavy large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and place one of the hens, skin side down. 

Top with a plate and a heavy pot and cook, weighted down, until the skin is golden brown. Flip the bird and brown the other side. 

Place the bird on a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with the second bird. Place the hens in the hot oven and roast til the internal temp measures 165 degrees. Remove from oven and tent with foil, rest for ten minutes.

While birds are cooking, combine remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor. Process until a mostly smooth sauce is formed. Pour into a bowl and set aside.

To serve, drizzle the birds with a small amount of the chimichurri. Pass additional sauce at the table.

This bird is delectable served with whole wheat couscous and roasted asparagus. You can get the asparagus going in the oven while browning the hens. The hens won't need much time to finish in the oven and the asparagus roasts pretty quickly too. Easy and delicious!

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Tis the season- for turkey carcasses

I am that relative. Yep, you know the one- the crazy aunt or goofy grandmother who comes to holiday dinner and ends up going home with a plastic bag full of turkey remnants. It was easy to hide when I was the hostess cooking and serving dinner, but now our family has handed to reigns to the next generation of cooks and I no longer have to do it. I still make my own stock however so I need those old turkey bones!

Turkey (or chicken) stock is a pantry staple for me. It is one of the most versatile ingredients you can have. A pot of homemade soup in a snap. Gravy? Just heat, thicken and pour over. The uses are endless. Making you own stock is so easy and rewarding- you have all that slow simmered flavor without all the added junk and preservatives and artificial flavors. Storing stock for future use is super easy as well- pour into freezer containers and freeze, or if you're a home canner, you can process in jars for shelf stable stock. Let's get busy in the kitchen.

Bones. All stock begins with bones. For me, the best time to make a batch of stock is during the holiday season. I can always find a turkey frame somewhere. I've been known to keep a giant ziploc bag of chicken bones in the freezer also, waiting until I have enough to make a batch. If you are not the holiday meal host, go ahead and ask if the host will part with the frame! Can't hurt! 

It's not the prettiest sight, but there is a ton of flavor
in those bones!

Once you have a good amount of bones you can start planning your stock. Browning the bones is a very important step in making beef stock but it's not a necessary step in poultry stock. If you choose to roast your turkey bones, break the carcass apart and place in a large bowl. Drizzle with vegetable oil and toss to coat. Spread out onto baking sheets and pop into a 300-325 degree oven and roast until the bones are golden brown. One or two turkey frames in a giant pot (I use my water bath canning pot) is a good amount to start with. As long as I've got a pot started I'll make a last check of the freezer for stray chicken bones I might have been saving, and I'll throw those in as well.

Herbes de Provence are always part of my aromatics

Aromatics. Like beef stock, your aromatics should enhance the stock and provide some background flavors but NOT be an overdone flavor element. Remember, stock should be something that's a foundation, with your flavors being built for each individual dish. The traditional mirepoix, carrots, celery and onion, will lay the groundwork, and simple herbs- thyme, parsley, bay leaf- and peppercorns are about all you need but you can use any spices or herbs you like. I never add salt to my stock, saving this seasoning step for when I am preparing a dish with the stock. 

You don't have to fuss with peeling onions- just throw them in.
I didn't have fresh celery but I have tons of dehydrated- it
gives just the same celery flavor as fresh and stores in a jar.

Ok, so I am going to start by breaking down the turkey bones. Make sure you have picked off as much meat as you can and break the frame up into smaller pieces. Place in big stockpot. Add several bay leaves, a small palm full of peppercorns, several sprigs of fresh thyme and Italian flat leaf parsley. Add the vegetables- 2 or 3 carrots, scrubbed and cut into chunks; 3 stalks celery, washed and cut into chunks; 1 large onion, cut into chunks- you don't even need to peel it; 1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise. Our turkey was roasted with onion, garlic, thyme and apples inside the cavity- I left them in and will cook them with the stock. Fill the pot with cold tap water. Bring to boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer for at least 6 hours. Check the pot every once in a while and skim off any foam that's accumulated. This is a great project for a cold, gloomy day so you can let it simmer away while you settle in with a good book, some movies, or relax.

Let the stock cool slightly, then carefully remove the large pieces of bone and vegetable chunks and discard. Strain the stock through a fine sieve to catch all the herbs and small pieces. Place in pot and refrigerate overnight. The next day, scoop off any fat that has solidified on top. You won't get 100% of the fat but get as much as you can, especially if you are going to can it- excessive fat can prevent the jar from sealing.

After straining out the bones and vegetables my stock still has
some herb bits and isn't clear- but I like it this way. Here I am
condensing it slightly so I can use smaller jars and have more
flavor impact. I can always add water when I make soup later.

If you are going to freeze the stock, ladle into freezer containers, seal, label and freeze. If you want to can the stock you must have a pressure canner. Prepare your jars and lids. Reheat the stock to boiling, ladle into hot jars, seal and process at the correct weight for your altitude for 20 minutes for pints, 25 for quarts. Complete canning instructions can be found HERE. 

You now have jars of liquid gold, ready to turn into homestyle soups, rich flavorful gravies and luxurious reductions.