Swedish Spring Chickens

• 3 or 4 Cornish game hens, or 2 small, whole broiling chickens
• 2 bunches approximately, fresh, clean parsley (preferably Italian)
• 4 tablespoons butter at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or as desired
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup heavy cream, or as desired
• Additional salt and white pepper as desired

1. Wipe the birds, inside and out, with a cloth wrung out of hot water.
2. Dry well.
3. Butter the cavities of all the birds, using two tablespoons of the butter.
4. Stuff the birds fairly tightly with parsley (stems and all) and truss with string.
5. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a deep, large skillet or Dutch oven and put in the birds, backs down.
6. Brown the backs, then turn the birds to brown lightly on all sides.
7. Add salt and chicken stock, bring to a boil, cover and simmer over low heat for about 45 minutes, or until tender.
8. Baste occasionally during cooking.
9. Remove the birds to a serving platter and keep warm.
10. Knead the 2 teaspoons of butter and the flour together, using your fingertips, and add this paste bit by bit to the simmering liquid in the skillet, using only as much as is needed to thicken the sauce slightly.
11. Add the cream and boil the mixture hard until it has a saucelike consistency.
12. Pour some of the sauce (strained or not, as desired) over the birds and pass the rest in a sauce boat.

cornish game hens, bunches approximately, butter, salt, chicken stock, butter, flour, heavy cream, salt

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/712 (may not work)