| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 3 hr 55 min |
| Prep: | 2 hr 50 min |
| Cook: | 1 hr 5 min |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup pepitas (hulled green pumpkin seeds)
- Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon plus large pinch of paprika
- 1 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 4 Cornish game hens (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds each), gizzards discarded
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
Instructions
- Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Make the pumpkin seed pesto: Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil, the pepitas, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a large pinch of paprika in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, shaking the skillet, until the seeds begin popping and some turn brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Transfer the seeds and oil to a food processor; add 1/2 cup water, the parsley, scallions, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt and pulse until pureed. Remove about 3 tablespoons of the pesto for the hens and set aside the rest for serving.
- Slide your fingers under the breast skin of each hen to loosen. Slide 2 heaping teaspoons of the pesto under the skin of each hen, then rub the skin to distribute the pesto.
- Mash the garlic and 2 teaspoons salt with the flat side of a chef’s knife to make a paste. Combine with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon paprika in a bowl, then rub all over the hens. Refrigerate, uncovered, at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Put the hens on a rack in a shallow roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet and tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Roast, rotating the pan halfway through, until the skin is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 170 degrees F, about 1 hour. Let rest 15 minutes, then cut each hen in half. Serve with the reserved pesto.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 525 calorie |
| Total Fat | 24 grams |
| Saturated Fat | 5 grams |
| Cholesterol | 310 milligrams |
| Sodium | 357 milligrams |
| Carbohydrates | 2 grams |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 grams |
| Protein | 71 grams |
| Sugar | 0 grams |
Reviews
This was a hit for my Christmas dinner. Completely forgot to get the pepitas, even though that is what attracted me to this recipe, and because stores were closed when I realized this I substituted chopped walnuts (same amount). It was absolutely fantastic! I served this with the Sweet Potato casserole and the Green Bean casserole recipes on Food Network and I will do it again next Christmas.
This is a really tasty meal – bursting with flavor and color and general yumminess. There’s a solid amount of work involved if you make all three dishes, but totally worth the effort. (Note: The first step in the instructions is to preheat the oven. Which you won’t need for another two hours or the next day. Hmmm.
Super yummy. The pesto is fantastic, especially if you make enough to dip each bite in on the side. The birds only took 40 minutes to cook and were perfect.