Roasted Game Hen with Root Vegetables

Prep Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
45 mins
Servings:
2

Instead of the usual roast chicken, why not give game hen the oven treatment? It cooks way faster, and the pan juices make a delicious sauce when combined with Dijon, lemon juice, capers, and fresh tarragon.

Ingredients

  • 1 Cornish game hen (1 ¾ pounds), trimmed of excess fat

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and quartered lengthwise

  • ½ small celery root, peeled and cut into ½-inch matchsticks

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, plus more for serving

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • 2 teaspoons capers in brine, drained and coarsely chopped

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees with racks in top and bottom. Place hen, breast-side down, on a work surface. Using kitchen shears, cut along both sides of backbone to remove. Flip over; split lengthwise with a heavy knife. Pat dry; season with salt and pepper. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss vegetables with 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Transfer sheet to bottom rack of oven.

  2. In an ovenproof skillet, heat remaining oil over medium-high. Add hen, skin-side down; cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Flip; transfer skillet to top rack of oven. Roast, stirring vegetables once, until golden, and a thermometer inserted into thickest part of hen thigh reads 165 degrees, 18 to 20 minutes for hen, and 25 to 28 minutes for vegetables. Transfer hen and vegetables to a platter. Return skillet to medium heat; whisk in mustard, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon water, and capers. Cook until reduced slightly, about 1 minute. Stir in tarragon; spoon over vegetables. Serve, with more mustard.

    mustard tarragon game hen
    Johnny Fogg

Variations

If you can't find celery root, parsnips are another great match for the carrots and game hen.

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