Recipe: Braised Cornish Hen with Cider Vinegar and Warm Vegetable Salad
This is a grand one-pot dinner with little clean up. Great for easy entertaining and tastes even better if made a day in advance.
Ingredients
- Cornish hens:
- 4 Cornish hens
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Vegetables:
- 2 leeks (white part only), cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound assorted mushrooms
- 1 garlic head, crushed
- 4 cups cider vinegar
- 2 small granny smith apples, peeled and sliced
- 1 pound small potatoes, halved
- 6 to 8 Roma tomatoes, quartered
- 6 cups chicken stock
- Small bouquet of herbs, or
- baby greens (optional)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Wash and cut hens in half; place on a plate. Season with salt and pepper. Place a large cast-iron pot over medium heat. Add oil and brown hens, about 8 minutes. Add leeks, mushrooms and garlic, and cook for 3 minutes.
Deglaze pan with cider vinegar; reduce by half. Add the remaining ingredients; bring to simmer and cover. Place in 350°F oven and cook for 25 minutes, or until hens are fork tender. Remove from oven and strain liquid through a fine sieve. If liquid is too thin, return to heat and reduce.
Serving
Place chicken on warm earthenware dish with vegetables around it. Garnish with a small amount of herbs, or greens. Serve with warm crusty bread.
Serving Size
Serves four