Broiled Cornish Hens With Spicy Salt Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Pat the game hens dry and place on the prepared rack. Mix the butter, 1/3 cup maple syrup and 2 tablespoons brown sugar with the salt and all the spices in a bowl. Rub the birds with the butter mixture, making sure it gets in all the cavities and under the skin. Reserve any unused butter for later. Sprinkle the hens with a little extra salt and paprika.
• Roast for 30 minutes, then baste with the juices at the bottom of the baking sheet, or a little of the remaining butter. Return to the oven and roast until the juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh (do not touch bone) registers 165 degrees F, another 15 to 30 minutes more. Remove the hens to a cutting board or serving tray to rest and remove the rack. Pour the dry sherry into the hot baking sheet and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits; add a little of the stock if necessary. Transfer the sherry mixture to a small saucepan and add any remaining butter. Melt over medium heat. Meanwhile, mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons chicken stock in a small bowl to make a slurry. Add the slurry and the remaining stock to the saucepan along with the remaining 1/3 cup syrup and remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Serve the game hens with the sweet and spicy gravy.

Steps:

• Sprinkle the Cornish hens with 1 teaspoon salt on each side.
• Combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a ceramic or glass dish just large enough to hold the flattened hens. Add the hens, and turn to coat. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, turning once or twice.
• When ready to grill, prepare a hot charcoal fire on one side of a grill (or turn a gas grill on low heat). Spread 1/4 of the coals across the other side of the grill. Place the hens on the cooler side skin-side up and weigh them down with a gratin dish with a foil-wrapped brick inside.
• Cook for 12 minutes, until the underside is golden brown. Turn the hens skin-side down, weigh them down again, and cook for another 12 minutes until the skin is golden brown and the hens are cooked through.
• Place the lemon halves on the cool side of the grill, cut-side down, for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Remove the Cornish hens and lemons to a plate or cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Cut the hens in half, sprinkle with fleur de sel, and serve with the grilled lemon halves.

Steps:

• Adjust broiler rack of oven so that it is about 6 inches from heating element. Preheat oven on broil setting. Place a large skillet or broiling pan into oven, and heat for 10 or 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toast peppercorns in another dry skillet over medium heat, shaking occasionally, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Grind to a powder in a spice mill or a coffee grinder or with mortar and pestle. Sprinkle about one teaspoon of ground peppercorns over skin side of hens; sprinkle with a bit of salt as well. Combine remaining powder with an equal amount of salt, and set aside.
• Carefully remove skillet from oven, and put hens in it, skin side up. Broil without turning, moving pieces as necessary to brown evenly, about 20 minutes, or until nicely browned and cooked through.
• Remove birds to a plate, and drizzle with a little of their pan juices and lime juice. Serve, passing spicy salt at the table.

Steps:

• Heat broiler. Cut back bone from each hen with kitchen shears, spread hens flat and cut in half through breastbones. Sprinkle both sides of hens with salt and pepper. Mix sour cream or yogurt and vegetable oil. Spread over half of mixture over insides of hens. Place hens skin side down no broiler pan. Broil 6 inches from heat 5-7 minutes. Turn hens over and spread remaining sour cream mixture over skin. Broil until skin is brown and hens are just cooked through, 5-7 minutes longer. Transfer to platter and keep warm until serving. "Great used for 4 people instead of turkey for Thanksgiving or anytime.

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler, and adjust the rack to about 4 inches from the heat source. Use a sharp, sturdy knife to split the hens through their backbones; it will cut through without too much effort. Rub the skin side with olive oil. Flatten the hens in a broiling or roasting pan, skin side down, and liberally sprinkle the exposed surfaces with salt and pepper. Slice one lemon as thinly as you can (a mandoline is best for this) and lay the slices on the birds.
• Broil for about 10 minutes, or until the lemon is browned and the birds appear cooked on top; rotate the pan if necessary. Turn the birds over, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and return to the heat. Cook another 10 minutes, or until the skin is nicely browned. Meanwhile, slice the remaining lemon as thinly as possible.
• Lay the lemon slices on the skin, and broil 5 minutes. The lemons should be slightly browned and the birds cooked through; if not, cook a couple of minutes more. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar, garnish with parsley and serve.