Chicken Confit With Spinach And Pan Jus

• 6 None Cornish game hens (about 1 1/4 lbs each)
• 1/2 cup sea salt flakes
• 2 None shallots, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 2 1/2 lbs duck fat
• 6 oz baby spinach leaves or trimmed watercress
• None None FOR THE PAN JUS
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 None celery stalk, coarsely chopped
• 1 None carrot, coarsely chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 4 cups chicken stock

1. Wash chickens under cold water; pat dry inside and out with paper towels. Cut along both sides of backbone with kitchen scissors; reserve bones. Place chickens, breast-side up, on cutting board. Press the breast bone with the heel of your hand to flatten. Cut along breast bones, then cut away rib cages; reserve. Cut wing tips from first joint of wing bone; reserve.
2. Combine salt, shallots, garlic and thyme in large non-metallic dish. Add chicken halves; rub with salt mixture. Refrigerate 1 hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 325u0b0F
4. Brush excess salt mixture from chicken; pat dry with paper towels. Place chicken in single layer in two large non-metallic baking dishes. Melt duck fat in medium saucepan on low heat; pour over chicken until completely covered. Bake, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours.
5. Meanwhile, for the pan jus, heat oil in large saucepan on medium-high heat. Cook reserved chicken bones and wing tips, stirring occasionally, about 10 mins or until browned. Drain fat from pan. Add celery, carrot and thyme; cook until lightly browned. Add wine; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, until mixture is reduced by about two-thirds. Add stock and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, 1 hour, skimming regularly. Strain jus through muslin-lined colander over large heatproof bowl; discard solids. Return jus to same pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, about 10 mins or until reduced to about 1 cup.
6. Increase oven temperature to 425u0b0F.
7. Remove chickens from fat. Place, in single layer, on foil-lined baking pans. Roast, uncovered, about 15 mins or until browned.
8. Serve chickens with spinach and pan jus.

cornish game hens, salt, shallots, garlic, thyme, duck fat, baby spinach, jus, olive oil, celery stalk, carrot, thyme, red wine, chicken stock

Taken from recipes-plus.com/api/v2.0/recipes/32568 (may not work)