Cornish Hens, Horseradish-Cheddar Potatoes & Cress Salad with Apples
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Cornish Hens, Horseradish-Cheddar Potatoes & Cress Salad with Apples

"My mom and I spent more than one Thanksgiving together, just the two of us. If we weren't out volunteering, we'd make a small, fancyish dinner." — Rachael Ray

Ingredients

Hens

  • 2 Cornish game hens

  • Olive oil, for drizzling

  • Salt and pepper

  • 1 tbsp. (a palmful) fresh

  • 1 tsp. (1/3 palmful) granulated

  • ½ tsp. granulated garlic

Potatoes

  • 3 starchy potatoes (such as

  • Salt

  • 1 cup (about 2 oz.) grated

  • ⅓ cup half-and-half

  • 3 tbsp. chopped fresh chives

  • 1 rounded tbsp. prepared

  • 1 tbsp. butter

Salad

  • 4 to 5 cups upland cress or

  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced

  • 1 apple (such as

  • Juice of 1 small lemon (about 3 tbsp.)

  • EVOO, for drizzling

Preparation

  • Step 1

    Arrange a rack one notch above the center of the oven; preheat to 500°. Place a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil for easy cleanup.

  • Step 2

    Using poultry or kitchen shears, remove the backbone from each hen by cutting along either side of it [1, above]; discard. Open the birds and turn skin-side up on a worksurface; press on the breastbone to flatten [2, above]. Drizzle with oil and season the birds with salt, pepper, the thyme, granulated onion, and granulated garlic. Place, skin-side up, on the prepared rack and into the oven. Reduce the temperatureto 475° and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°, 20 to 22 minutes.

  • Step 3

    Meanwhile, place the potatoes in a medium saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Salt the water liberally and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and push the potatoes through a potato ricer back into the hot pot, or return to the pot and mash with a potato masher. Stir in the cheese, half-and-half, chives, horseradish, and butter; cover to keep warm.

  • Step 4

    In a large bowl, toss the cress, apple, and scallions with the lemon juice and EVOO.

  • Step 5

    Serve the birds on platters withthe potatoes and salad alongside.

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This recipe originally appeared on the Rachael Ray Show. For more recipes and videos from...
This recipe originally appeared on the Rachael Ray Show. For more recipes and videos from...
This recipe originally appeared on the Rachael Ray Show. For more recipes and videos from...