Cornish Hen Meets Frisee aux Lardons

  1. Preheat the oven to 500F.
  2. Place the bacon in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
  3. Rotate the bacon to crisp evenly on all sides and render out lots of fat, turning it about every 2 minutes.
  4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain.
  5. Take the skillet off the heat, but do not clean it.
  6. Meanwhile, spatchcock the Cornish hen with a boning or chef's knife, removing the wing tips, spine, ribs, and breastbone of the bird while leaving the leg, thigh, and wing bones attached.
  7. (You can also ask your butcher to do this for you.)
  8. Liberally season both sides of the bird with salt and cracked pepper.
  9. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat.
  10. Place the spatchcocked bird, skin side down, in the rendered bacon fat in the skillet and cook until the skin is browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
  11. Flip the hen in the cast-iron skillet, transfer to the oven, and roast, uncovered, until a thermometer in the thigh reads 155F, 10 to 12 minutes.
  12. (Bear in mind that the folks at the USDA think 165F is best.)
  13. While the bird is cooking, measure out the vinegar and 12 teaspoon salt into a mixing bowl.
  14. Remove the bird from the skillet and set aside to rest.
  15. Slowly whisk the bacon fat remaining in the skillet into the apple cider vinegar to make a vinaigrette.
  16. Place the frisee in the pan with the bacon, top with the bird, and drizzle with the vinaigrette.
  17. PLATE IT!
  18. Serve this right in the cast-iron skillet, on a trivet, and enjoy with Alton Brown (optional).
  19. BREAK IT: Try using an alternative vinegar for a fruitier flavor profile.
  20. Lychee vinegar would be crazy!

skillet, spoon, boning, mixing bowl, whisk, trivet, bacon, cornish hen, kosher salt, pepper, apple cider vinegar

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/cornish-hen-meets-fris_e-aux-lardons (may not work)

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