Sunday Roasts (14 page)

What could be more convenient than a one-pan roasted meal? Halved Cornish hens are quickly browned, then set atop sautéed fennel and fingerling potatoes. Both the birds and the vegetables are seasoned with herbes de Provence before they go into the oven. A simple pan sauce made with white wine and butter is a fine finishing touch. Mounded on a platter and surrounded by the fennel and potatoes, the hens make a striking appearance.

Serves 4, with a half hen per serving

COST
: Moderate

PREP TIME
: 25 minutes

START-TO-FINISH TIME
: 1 hour, 30 minutes

2 medium fennel bulbs (1½ to 2 lb/680 to 910 g total)

2 Cornish hens, each about 1½ lb/680 g, split and patted dry (see cooking tip)

1½ tbsp herbes de Provence (see market note)

1½ tsp kosher salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

8 tbsp/120 ml olive oil, plus more as needed

1 lb/455 g fingerling potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled, halved lengthwise

½ cup/120 ml dry white wine

2 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

1.
Arrange a rack at center position and preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C/gas 6.

2.
Trim the lacy stems from the fennel bulbs; place the stems in a glass of water and reserve for the garnish. Halve the fennel bulbs and cut out and discard the tough triangular cores. Cut lengthwise into ½-in/12-mm julienne strips.

3.
Rinse the split birds and pat dry with paper towels/absorbent paper. In a small bowl, combine the herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper. Rub half of this mixture on both sides of the Cornish hens.

4.
In a large, heavy, flameproof roasting pan/tray set over 1 or 2 burners on medium-high heat, heat 5 tbsp/75 ml of the olive oil until hot. Add the Cornish hens, cut-side down, and cook, turning several times, until browned on all sides, for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a platter.

5.
Add an additional 2 tbsp of the olive oil and heat until hot. Add the fennel and potatoes and sauté, turning, just until lightly browned, for about 5 minutes. If necessary, add more oil. Stir in the remaining herbes de Provence mixture. Place the pan in the oven and roast the vegetables for 15 minutes.

6.
Remove the pan from the oven, and arrange the hens, cut-side down, on top of the vegetables. Brush the hens with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Return the pan to the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350°F/180°C/gas 4 and continue to roast until the Cornish hens have juices that run clear when the thighs are pierced with a sharp knife, for 20 to 25 minutes longer.

7.
Transfer the hens and vegetables to a platter and cover loosely with foil. Place the roasting pan/tray over a burner set on medium-high heat. Add the wine and whisk well to loosen any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then whisk in the butter. Cook, whisking, until the sauce thickens slightly, for about 2 minutes.

8.
To serve, pour the sauce over the hens and garnish the platter with a few of the lacy fennel stems.

SIDES
: This dish could be served as is, since there re two vegetables roasted with the hens. However, if you want to add a splash of color, include Honey-Glazed Carrots and Parsnips .

LEFTOVER TIP
: If, by chance, you have potatoes and/or fennel left over, you could use them along with a few tablespoons of grated Gruyère or cheddar as a filling for an omelet. Just add a green salad and you’ll have another meal.

MARKET NOTE
: Herbes de Provence, a mixture of Provencal herbs that often includes basil, rosemary, sage, thyme, fennel seed, lavender, marjoram, and summer savory, is available in many supermarkets.

COOKING TIP
: Use kitchen shears or a heavy, sharp knife to cut the birds in half.

Split into halves for easy handling, then brushed with melted butter scented with orange, these little birds are roasted until golden brown and tender to the bone. A mixture of chicken broth and orange juice concentrate is used to baste the hens as they roast, keeping them moist and infusing them with an assertive punch of citrus flavor. A delectable sauce prepared with the pan drippings and dried cherries is spooned over the birds for serving.

Serves 6, with a half hen per serving

COST
: Moderate

PREP TIME
: 20 minutes

START-TO-FINISH TIME
: 1 hour, 10 minutes

1 cup/160 g dried cherries

3 Cornish hens, each about 1½ lb/680 g, split (see cooking tip)

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4½ tbsp/62 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, plus more as needed

1 tbsp dried thyme leaves

2½ tsp grated orange zest

2 cups/480 ml reduced-sodium chicken broth

½ cup/120 ml frozen orange juice concentrate, defrosted

1 to 2 tsp cornstarch/cornflour

1 bunch fresh thyme, for garnish (optional)

1.
Arrange a rack at center position and preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C/gas 6.

2.
Place the cherries in a medium bowl, cover with hot water, and soak for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

3.
Rinse the split birds and pat dry with paper towels/absorbent paper. Place the hens, cut-side down, in a large, flameproof roasting pan/tray that will accommodate them in a single layer without crowding. Salt and pepper generously.

4.
Mix together the melted butter, thyme, orange zest, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper in a small bowl. Brush the birds with the butter and roast for 15 minutes. While the birds are roasting, whisk the chicken broth and orange juice concentrate together in a bowl and reserve 1 cup/240 ml of this mixture for the sauce.

5.
After 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F/190°C/gas 5 and aste the birds with 1/ 3 cup/75 ml of the broth-orange juice mixture. Continue basting every 10 minutes with 1/ 3 cup/75 ml of the broth mixture until the hens are golden brown and their juices run clear when the thighs are pierced with a sharp knife, for about 30 minutes more. If the hens appear to be drying out, brush with more melted butter, or if the pan drippings start to burn, add more broth mixture to the pan.

6.
Transfer the hens to a serving platter and cover loosely with foil.

7.
Place the roasting pan/tray over 1 or 2 burners on medium heat and add the cherries and the reserved 1 cup/240 ml of broth mixture, plus any remaining broth used for basting. Whisk for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan into the liquids. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tsp cornstarch/cornflour with 1 tsp cold water, then whisk into the liquids in the pan. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens slightly and lightly coats the back of a spoon. If the sauce doesn’t thicken within a minute, combine another teaspoon of cornstarch/cornflour and water and whisk into the pan. Season the sauce with salt if needed.

8.
To serve, ladle the sauce over the hens. If desired, garnish the platter with several small clusters of fresh thyme.

SIDES
: Serve these beautiful birds with Wild Rice with Roasted Grapes and Walnuts and some pureed butternut squash, seasoned with honey.

LEFTOVER TIP
: Reheat any remaining birds and sauce and serve over buttered noodles.

Many people love to order roast duck in a restaurant, but wouldn’t dream of preparing it at home. There’s something elusive about how to cook this bird with the big frame and fairly small amount of flesh. When creating the following recipe, I asked talented chef Matt Sunderland for help to ensure that the duck would have nicely browned, crisp skin and flavorful meat beneath. To achieve the first, he suggested that I use a Chinese technique that calls for rinsing the bird in hot water and then letting it dry out overnight. To guarantee great flavor, he proposed honey, orange, and black pepper as seasonings. Since there is plenty of rich duck fat rendered during roasting, I saved some for sautéing diced potatoes to accompany the bird.

Serves 4

COST
: Splurge

PREP TIME
: 20 minutes

START-TO-FINISH TIME
: About 24 hours, including 1 hour, 40 minutes for bringing the duck to room temperature, roasting it and letting it rest

1 duck, 5 to 5½ lb/2.3 to 2.5 kg, with giblets and neck removed from the cavity and discarded or saved for another use

¾ cup/180 ml honey

Kosher salt

Coarsely ground black pepper

1 large orange, cut into thin slices, plus 1 tbsp grated orange zest and 1 tbsp fresh orange juice

2 medium garlic cloves, crushed and peeled

1½ lb/680 g Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-in/2-cm dice

1 bunch watercress

1.
Trim and discard any pockets of fat from the cavity and any dangling pieces of fat and skin from the duck.

2.
Use a clean, empty wine bottle and, holding the duck upright, slide the bottle into its cavity. Place the duck on the bottle in the sink and pour 3 to 4 cups/720 to 960 ml hot water over it. Repeat two more times. (This will help shrink the skin and make it crisper when roasted.)

3.
Pat the duck dry with paper towels/absorbent paper and stand it (still on the wine bottle) in a large, shallow pan. Brush ¼ cup/60 ml of the honey over all surfaces of the duck and let it stand, uncovered, at room temperature to dry out completely, for 3 to 4 hours. Brush the duck with another ¼ cup/60 ml of the honey and refrigerate it, uncovered, overnight. (If the duck will not fit upright on the wine bottle in your refrigerator, remove the bottle and lay the duck, breast-side up, in the pan.)

4.
Arrange a rack at center position and preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C/gas 6.

5.
Bring the duck to room temperature for 30 minutes. Have ready a large, heavy roasting pan/tray and an adjustable roasting rack.

6.
Season the duck cavity with ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper, and then place three of the orange slices and the garlic cloves in the cavity. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ¼ cup/60 ml honey, 1 tbsp black pepper, orange zest, and orange juice. Brush half of this glaze over all surfaces of the duck. Place the duck, breast-side down, on the rack in the pan and roast for 20 minutes.

7.
Reduce the temperature to 350°F/180°C/gas 4. Using tongs, turn the duck breast-side up on the rack and brush with half of the remaining glaze. If the wings or legs are starting to brown too quickly, cover them tightly with foil. Roast the duck for another 20 minutes and then brush with the remaining glaze. Continue to roast until a thermometer registers 170 to 180°F/77 to 82°C when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, for 15 to 20 minutes more (see cooking tip). Watch carefully and cover any other areas of the duck that are browning too quickly with foil. Remove the duck to a carving board and tent loosely with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes.

8.
While the duck is roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the potatoes until just tender when pierced with a knife, for about 10 minutes, then drain them and pat dry.

9.
In a large frying pan, carefully pour ¼ cup/60 ml of the duck fat from the roasting pan; cool and refrigerate the remaining fat for another use. Place on medium-high heat; when the fat is hot, add the potatoes and cook, turning often, until golden brown, for about 10 minutes. Salt and pepper the potatoes.

10.
To carve, using poultry shears or a sharp knife, cut the duck in half along each side of the breastbone. Cut each half in half again to separate the breast and wing quarter from the thigh and leg quarter. Arrange the quarters on a serving platter and surround them with potatoes. Garnish the platter with several bouquets of watercress and the remaining orange slices before serving.

SIDES
: Brussels Sprouts, Bacon, and Apples would make an excellent side for the duck and potatoes. You could also add a salad of baby spinach, Belgian endive, and walnuts tossed in a red wine vinaigrette to complete the menu.

LEFTOVER TIP
: It’s likely that you will have some duck fat left over after you prepare this dish. Do not throw it out. In France, duck fat is considered “liquid gold” and is used to add great flavor to sautéed foods.

COOKING TIP
: The meat will be very pink at 170°F/77°C, and the juices will run a deep rosy pink. If you prefer the duck more well done, cook it to 180°F/82°C.