Not Your Average Phoenix

In October of 1949 a fire swept through a farm in northeastern Connecticut and from the ashes rose — a little-bitty chicken. Specifically, a rock Cornish game hen. The story begins back in the old country and involves religious persecution, a Spanish dictator, ocean crossings, and overcoming poverty to achieve wealth… But I’m not going in to that here.

The relevant part of the story is that Alphonsine “Therese” Makowsky (known to her family as “Te”) and her husband Jacques owned 200 acres they named Idle Wild Farms. On the farm they raised and sold African guinea hens. The fire destroyed the flock but not Mrs. Makowsky’s chicken raising ambitions.

In order to temporarily meet

It’s so beautifully arranged on the plate – you know someone’s fingers have been all over it. ~ Julia Childs

orders Makowsky cross bred Cornish game cocks with several other breeds (including the White Plymouth Rock hen and a Malayan fighting cock) to eventually produce a small juicy bird with a high percentage of white meat — perfect as an elegant single serving. Although the cross-breed was intended to be a stop-gap measure until she could reestablish the guinea hen flock, it turned out to be popular with her customers, including chefs in New York City at restaurants like the 21 Club. So much for guinea hens.

Personally I find a whole hen is too large for a single serving, but half a hen (which may actually be a cock, they’re just all called hens) still makes an elegant presentation as well as a great meal — much superior to most commercial chicken. Here’s one of my favorite recipes:

Orange-marinated Game Hens

2 ea Cornish game hens — cut in half
2 c orange juice
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c sherry
3 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 ea lemon — juiced
2 cloves garlic — crushed
1 inch fresh ginger — grated
1/2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 ea green onions — cut into 1″ lengths

Mix all ingredients except hens and green onions in a small siace pan. Bring to a boil, then set aside and cool to room temperature. Chill marinade in the refrigerator then pour into a large zippered plastic bag. Add hens and onions and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours, turning occasionally to distribute marinade.

Heat oven to 425F.

Just before cooking, strain the marinade through cheesecloth and return to the stove. Cook over medium high heat until reduced by two-thirds.

Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and arrange hen halves on sheet. Brush with reduced marinade. Bake in center of oven for 30 to 40 minutes (brushing with marinade every 10 minutes) until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thigh registers 160F. Remove from oven, tent with foil, and allow to rest for 15 minutes.

Serve hens on rice and drizzle with reduced marinade. Serves 4.

Technorati: Food | recipe | main dish | poultry | cornish game hen

2 Responses to “Orange-Marinated Game Hens”