Cornish hens have a distinctive, delicate flavor that can be easily overpowered. Perhaps surprisingly, the extroverted combination of olives and capers doesn't drown out the meat, but gives it an unexpectedly earthy and savory quality. Pairs well with "Farro with Fennel and Carrots", included in this collection. Ingredients 2 garlic cloves 2 tablespoons shallot coarsely chopped 1 stick Unsalted butter (1/2 cup) softened 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon Kalamata olives (or other brine-cured olives) coarsely chopped pitted 1 tablespoon capers (in brine), drained 1 tablespoon olive oil 4 (1 1/4- to 1 1/2-lb) Cornish hens (not frozen), halved lengthwise 1/4 cup dry white wine

Instructions
Special equipment: a 17- by 13-inch heavy shallow metal baking

Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 500°F.

With motor of a food processor running, drop garlic cloves into processor to finely chop. Add shallot and pulse until finely chopped. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides, then add garlic mixture (do not wash bowl of food processor), pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic begins to turn golden, 3 to minutes. Return garlic mixture to food processor and add olives and capers. Pulse until olives and capers are finely chopped. Add 5 tablespoons butter and pulse until smooth.

Brush baking pan with oil (1 tablespoon).

Working with 1 hen half at a time, slide your index finger under skin on each breast and around legs, including drumsticks, being careful not to tear skin. Place 1 tablespoon olive butter under skin on each half hen, then massage skin over thigh, drumstick, and breast to distribute butter.

Arrange hen halves, skin sides up, in baking pan. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in small skillet, then brush evenly over skin of hens. Sprinkle hens evenly with remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt.

Roast hens until golden and just cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Transfer hens to a platter, then straddle baking pan over 2 burners and add wine. Deglaze pan by simmering over low heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits with a wooden spoon, 2 minutes. Transfer pan sauce to a small serving bowl and skim fat with a spoon. Serve hens with sauce.


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Yields: 8 Servings
     Gourmet magazine, February 2007, page 87

notes:  * Olive butter can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before using.
* Hens can be stuffed with olive butter 4 hours ahead and chilled, covered with plastic wrap, in baking pan.
* Made this for Valentine's Day and it was great!! The olive-caper-shallot butter was a perfect accompaniment to the game hen. I used more of the olive/caper part on the inside of the hen and less on the outside so it wasn't black. Also I let the hen rest before cutting into it - may have helped. But it tasted yummy! Am planning on making this again using chicken breasts or legs instead to see how it turns out.

Cuisine:

Main Ingredient:   Cornish Hens