Cornish Hens with Roasted-Garlic Aïoli
Tender roasted Cornish game hens served with a rich, homemade roasted garlic aioli sauce. The hens are perfectly seasoned and roasted until golden brown, accompanied by a creamy aioli made with sweet roasted garlic, fresh lemon, and chives.
Ingredients
- •2 heads whole heads of garlic
- •2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- •2 whole Cornish hens
- •1½ teaspoons salt
- •½ teaspoon black pepper
- •1 cup bottled mayonnaise
- •2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- •1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
- •2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
- •1 set kitchen equipment
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 500°F.
10 min
- 2.
Trim off and discard about 1/4 inch from top of garlic heads to expose cloves, then put heads on a sheet of foil. Spoon oil over garlic, then wrap up foil tightly to enclose. Roast garlic on oven rack until very soft, about 40 minutes.
40 min
- 3.
Meanwhile, season hens inside and out with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Tie legs together with string and tuck wing tips under. Transfer to roasting pan and roast alongside garlic until hens are golden brown and thermometer registers 170°F when inserted into leg joint, 30 to 40 minutes. Let stand, loosely covered with foil, 15 minutes.
55 min
- 4.
Unwrap garlic carefully and cool slightly, then squeeze pulp into a bowl. Add remaining ingredients (including salt and pepper plus 2 tablespoons pan juices from hens if desired) and stir until combined well.
10 min
- 5.
Halve hens lengthwise. Serve with aioli.
5 min
