INGREDIENTS
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2 – 1 1/2 pound cornish hens
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1 small Mutsu apple, finely chopped
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1/2 cup fresh cranberries, chopped
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1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
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2 cloves of garlic, minced
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3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
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4 tablespoons butter
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1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes, skin on, scrubbed clean
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
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Preheat oven to 425 degrees, place large cast iron skillet, Dutch oven, or oven-proof dish inside on a rack while it heats.
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Rinse cornish hens and pat dry. Season liberally with kosher salt and pepper on the outside and inside the cavities. Mix the apples, cranberries, rosemary, garlic and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a small bowl. Spoon the mixture into the cavities of the cornish hens. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
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Remove now hot skillet/dish from the oven and place prepared birds inside, trying to move them as little as possible once they’ve made contact.
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Scatter the potatoes around the cornish hens in the skillet. Drizzle both hens and potatoes with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Cut the butter into small pieces and dot on top of the chicken as well as the potatoes.
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Place the skillet back in the oven and roast for about 1 hour until the skin has turned golden brown and crispy, the potatoes start to shrivel and the internal temperature of the chicken is about 180 degrees.
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Remove from the oven, let rest a few minutes before carving. Serve with accumulated juices from the bottom of the skillet.
| Adapted from Running to the Kitchen