Lavender And Thyme Roasted Poussins Recipes

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.

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.].

Steps:

• To make glaze, mix together all the ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to boil. Continue boiling 3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit at room temperature until ready to use.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Loosen skin on each chicken by gently working index finger from a small separation in the front toward the back. Spread a small pat of butter about the size of your fingertip on each side of each chicken breast.
• Mix remaining butter with chopped apple, onion, thyme and parsley and loosely stuff an equal portion of the mixture into cavity of each bird.
• Trim off wing tips and any other extraneous parts, like the neck. Truss chickens and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat two 10-inch frying pans to medium-high heat. Add enough vegetable oil to just cover the bottoms. Sear birds on all sides until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
• Place chickens on rack in a roasting pan. Brush each with maple sugar glaze and roast 8 minutes. Remove and brush with glaze once again. Put chickens back in oven 7 minutes longer.
• Remove from oven and let birds rest at least 5 minutes before serving.

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.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove neck from inside of poussin cavity, and set aside. Rinse inside and outside of poussin, and pat dry.
• Season each of the poussin cavities with salt and pepper. Fill each of the cavities with 2 onion quarters, 3 prunes, and 1/3 bunch thyme. Tie the poussin's legs together with kitchen twine, and set aside. Strew the bottom of a large roasting pan with the remaining onion quarters and celery.
• Rub poussin with 2 tablespoons soft butter; season with salt and pepper. Arrange poussin in roasting pan; place in oven. Roast poussin until golden brown and thigh juices run clear when pierced with a fork, about 55 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter.
• Add brandy and chicken stock to pan; stir with a wooden spoon to scrape up brown bits from bottom of pan. Strain gravy, and discard solids. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in remaining tablespoon butter. Use gravy to glaze poussin, or serve on the side.