Be the first to Cornish hens are cooked on the stove-top with olives, leeks, garlic, tomatoes, wine, saffron, and herbs. You might also like to try this method with chicken parts.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Cornish hens, 1-1/2 pounds each, cut into 8 pieces (4 breasts with the wing and 4 legs)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 2 leeks, cut into small cubes (about 1-1/2 cups)
- 1 Tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- 2 cups cubed into 1/2-inch pieces peeled plum tomatoes
- 24 green olives stuffed with pimientos
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1/2 cup dry white wine, such as California Chardonnay
- 1 cup fresh or canned chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon saffron threads or turmeric
- Tabasco sauce to taste
- 4 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Preparation:
Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet large enough to hold the pieces of Cornish hens in one layer. Sprinkle the pieces with salt and pepper to taste.When the oil starts to become hot, add the hen pieces, skin side down. Cook over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook 5 minutes more.
Add the onions, leeks, and garlic, and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, green olives, thyme, wine, chicken broth, bay leaf, saffron or turmeric, Tabasco, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir and scrape the bottom of the skillet to dissolve any brown particles on it. Cover tightly and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs, if used, and the bay leaf. If there is too much liquid, reduce the sauce a bit. Sprinkle with chopped basil and serve.
Yield: 4 servings
Recipe Source: Cooking In America by Pierre Franey (Alfred A. Knopf)
Reprinted with permission.
