Roasted Cornish Game Hens

Ingredients

2 1-pound Cornish Game Hens

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

½ onion rough, chopped

1 clove garlic, pressed

½ teaspoon thyme

2 2-inch sprigs of rosemary

1 tablespoon olive oil*

*Optionally, additional oil or cooking spray may be used for basting

Step One:

Preheat Oven to 425 degrees F. While the oven is preheating remove the game hens from the refrigerator. Wash the game hens. Remove any organs that may have been included with the game hens.  Reserve the organs if you intend to use them, for example in gravy, else discard them.  Pat the game hens down with a paper towel to dry and place them on to a clean cutting board.

Step Two:

In a medium sized bowl, add the onion, ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper and the remaining ingredients save for the rosemary and combine well.  In a small bowl combine the oil and the remaining salt and pepper.

Step Three:

Stuff each game hen with ½ of the onion mixture, and a rosemary sprig each.  Then rub each game hen all over with the oil mixture.  Place the game hens on a baking pan with a rack.

Step Four:

Place the game hens in the oven and roast them for 30 minutes. If basting with oil, then remove the game hens from the oven and baste them then return the game hens to the oven. Reduce the Oven temperature to 400 degrees F and continue roasting for another 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature 175 to 180 degrees F.

Step Five:

Remove the game hens from the oven. Remove the stuffing, and drain any fluid that collected in the cavity.  Allow the game hens to rest for 15 minutes.  Half each game hen, and serve with desired accompaniments.