Citrus Roasted Cornish Hens

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Every year, I try to come up with celebratory meal ideas for my small immediate family. And in turn I share with you, just incase you need a small but elegant menu. This might not sound like a rebellious exercise but it is. Everything surrounding the holidays tends to be a go-big-or-go-home situation. Whole baked hams? Plentiful. Multi-rib roasts? Ubiquitous. A nice reasonably sized and priced piece of meat that still feels splashy and lavish? Not so much. That’s why I’m trying to be the change. You don’t need to have in-laws to impress or multiple mouths to feed to make a special meal. And these Citrus Roasted Cornish Hens are proof of that. They look and taste special. But they won’t leave you stranded in the kitchen for a day and a half and they won’t saddle you with leftovers for the rest of your natural life.

Turkey and I are not the best of friends. Or maybe we are because I don’t eat it that much. So what’s my beef with the bird? Well, it’s kind of dry. Even if you brine it, slather it with butter, and give it every word of encouragement in the book, you’re still looking at relatively dry breast meat. Things get a little better if you spatchcock it, but still I can’t help but think of turkeys as more cumbersome, less delicious chickens. So, for my money, I think you’re better off serving a couple of chickens if you’re feeding a crowd or a couple of Citrus Roasted Cornish Hens if you’re not.

These burnished beauties are dry brined in a citrus salt, butter-basted, and roasted until golden. They’re served with orange and pomelo segments and a zippy citrus spiked gravy. The platter is decorated with pomegranate arils, ribbons of Meyer lemon zest, and fresh mint leaves. While these birds may not have the gravitas of a giant golden turkey centerpiece, they are festive, vibrant, and effortlessly juicy. If you feed your guests half a hen everyone gets their fair share of dark and white meat. Are drumsticks your favorite? You got one. More of a thigh guy? Got one of those too. Ditto if the breast meat is your ideal meat. And if you’re mercurial about your poultry part selection, guess what? You don’t have to choose.

This recipe is inspired by the iconic vending machine beverage Five Alive. I actually wanted to call this dish Five Alive Cornish Hens but I also didn’t want the Coca-Cola corporation getting shirty about it. Not that I am anywhere near their radar. But hey, you never know. If you’re unfamiliar with Five Alive, and you probably are if you didn’t grow up in 1990s Canada, it is a medley of five citrus juices. According to their website, the medley consists of orange, grapefruit, lime, tangerine, and lemon. I wound up using pomelo, navel orange, cara cara orange, Meyer lemon, and lime in my recipe but I think the spirit is still there.

Using a microplane zest your assortment of citrus. We’re looking for roughly a tablespoon of zest per fruit. Now, take that zest and pile it into a mortar and pestle with a couple of tablespoons of salt. Muddle the two together and pour it into a bowl. It should be a soft yellow color and smell beyond amazing.

Now, let’s bring the hens into this. Place the hens on a cooling rack inside a baking sheet. Pat the hens dry with a paper towel and then coat them in the citrus salt. Don’t forget to season the inside of the cavity. Transfer the hens to the fridge and dry brine them for 12-24 hours. Resist the urge to cover them. We want them to have ample air circulation on all sides, hence the cooling rack. When your hens are done dry brining they should look rosy and be tacky to the touch. Take them out of the fridge 30 minutes before roasting. We want these birds to reach room temperature before introducing them to the oven.

Roast the hens for 30 minutes in a 400°F oven, then take them out and brush them all over with melted butter. The butter gives the hens some extra richness and encourages them to brown. And who doesn’t love a golden gleaming bird? Pop the hens back into the oven and roast them until the breast reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

While the hens are becoming their best selves in the oven, we’re going to tackle the citrus. Grab the pomelo and oranges you zested earlier. Cut them into segments. Once you’re done, you will be left with citrus skin and excess flesh. Give the innards a squeeze to extract the juice. You should have 1/2 cup of juice when all is said and done.

Leave the hens to rest while you deglaze the roasting pan with some good quality chicken stock. Strain the concoction and whisk in some flour. Pour the mixture into a skillet and add the citrus juice you extracted along with the juice from the Meyer lemon you zested earlier. Simmer the gravy until thickened and pour it into a boat. Arrange the hens on a large serving platter and surround them with the citrus segments. Finish the platter off with a sprinkling of pomegranate arils, lemon zest curls, and fresh mint leaves. Glide into the dining room and present these stunning Citrus Roasted Cornish Hens to your ultra-exclusive VIPs.

Enjoy!