Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

4 Cornish hens (1 lb ea)

--------------------------MARINADE-------------------------------
1/2 c Olive oil 4 Thyme sprigs
2 Shallots, thinly sliced 1 ts Black peppercorns, crushed
2 Garlic clove(s), crushed 1/2 ts Salt

------------------------CURRY SAUCE-----------------------------
2 tb Olive oil 1/4 c Orange juice
1/2 Onion(s), finely chopped 1 tb Lemon juice
1/4 c Celery, finely chopped 1 c Chicken stock
1/4 c Carrot, finely chopped -or canned broth
1/4 c Bananas, finely diced 2 tb Coconut milk
1/4 c Ripe pear, finely diced 1 tb Major Grey's chutney
1/4 c Madras curry powder 1/2 c Heavy cream

----------------------------RICE---------------------------------
1 tb Butter 1 tb Chives, finely chopped
2 Shallots, finely chopped 1 3/4 c Chicken stock
1 c Basmati rice -or canned broth
2 tb Cilantro, finely chopped Salt

1. Cut up and marinate the hens: using kitchen shears, cut out the
backbones from each hen. Then cut through the backbones to divide
each hen in half. Remove the whole legs from each bird by cutting
through the hip joints; you should have 2 breast sections and 2 leg
sections from each bird.

2. In a large dish, combine the oil, shallots, garlic, thyme,
peppercorns, and salt. Add the hens, turn to coat. Cover and
refrigerate overnight.

3. Make the curry sauce: heat olive oil in a medium nonreactive
saucepan. Add onion, celery, and carrot and cook over high heat,
stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add
the banana and pear and cook, stirring, until nearly disintegrated,
about 3 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and cook until fragrant,
about 2 minutes.

4. Add the orange and lemon juices to the saucepan and bring to a
boil. Stir in chicken stock, coconut milk, and chutney and ring back
to a boil. Add the cream and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain the sauce,
pressing down on the solids, and return it to the saucepan. Boil over
moderately high heat until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 7 minutes. The
recipe can be prepared to this point up to 1 day ahead; cover and
refrigerate the curry sauce.

5. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the shallots and cook over
moderate heat until translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in the rice,
cilantro, and chives. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
cover and cook over moderate heat until the rice is tender and all
the liquid has been absorbed, about 25 minutes. Season with salt.

6. Remove hens from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Place hens
pieces, skin side down, on a baking sheet and broil for about 12
minutes, until well browned; shift t he pan as necessary so the
pieces will brown evenly. Turn the hens skin side up and broil for
about 10 minutes longer, or until the skin is browned and the juices
run clear when a thigh is pierced with a fork.

7. To serve, rewarm curry sauce. Set a mound of rice in the center of
each large warmed plate. Arrange 2 legs and 2 breast halves around
the rice and spoon the curry sauce over the rice and hens.

Chef David Ruggerio of Le Chantilly in New York City

Food and Wine March 1995
Submitted By DIANE LAZARUS On 02-23-95

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