Here’s a creative way to use zesty chimichurri sauce in an impressive an unexpected presentation. Cornish hens are flattened and cooked under the pressure of a heavy brick, saving cooking time and creating a gorgeous color and crisp skin. Don’t have bricks lying around? Use a pizza stone, cast-iron pan or other heavy, flameproof pan to weight down the game hens while cooking.
Grilled Cornish Hens with Chimichurri
For the chimichurri:
1 cup (1 oz./30 g.) lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup (1 oz./30 g.) lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml.) extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup (3 fl. oz./80 ml.) fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs. grated lemon zest
2 Tbs. grated orange zest
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
3 Cornish hens, about 1 lb. (500 g.) each
3 Tbs. honey
Olive oil for brushing
To make the chimichurri, combine the cilantro, parsley, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, zest, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes and cumin in a blender or food processor and process to a smooth puree. Cover and refrigerate.
To prepare the Cornish hens, first trim off and discard the extra fat from the necks and just inside the body cavities. Place 1 hen on a cutting board, breast side down. Using poultry shears, cut through the flesh and bone from the neck end to the tail along each side of the backbone. Remove the backbone completely. Turn the hen breast side up and spread it open. Cut out the breastbone and discard. Cut off the wing tips and any loose skin. Pull down on the legs to lay them flat. Turn the hen over and, using the palms of both hands, press down on the hen to flatten it as much as possible. Repeat with the remaining 2 hens.
Rub the hens all over with the honey and place them in a ceramic or glass baking dish or a large zippered plastic bag. Pour half of the chimichurri over the hens and turn to coat. Cover the dish or seal the bag and marinate the hens in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to overnight, turning several times.
Prepare a medium-hot fire in a gas or charcoal grill. Separately wrap 3 bricks in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Brush the grill rack with oil. Remove the hens from the marinade and place, skin side down, on the rack. Discard the marinade. Position a brick on top of each hen so that it covers as much of the bird as possible. Grill until the skin is golden, 8-10 minutes.
Wearing oven mitts or grill gloves, remove the bricks. Using metal tongs and a large spatula, carefully turn over the hens. Replace the bricks and continue grilling until the hens are dark golden brown on the second side and cooked through, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into a thigh away from the bone registers 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), 8-10 minutes longer.
If serving more than 3 people, cut the hens in half through the breast. Transfer the hens to a serving platter and brush with some of the reserved chimichurri sauce. Serve right away. Pour the remaining chimichurri into a small bowl and pass at the table. Serves 3-6.
5 comments
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Hi Kimberly, we don’t currently sell a pan exactly like this one, but you can see some similar cast-iron pans here:
https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/lodge-round-fry-pan/
https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/le-creuset-oval-skillet/
Any information on where to buy the double-handled pan?
This is not Chimichurri, call it something else but not Chimichurri!!
Soy Argentino
It may not be traditional Argentine chimichurri, but there are many variations of the classic. Most of the basic ingredients are there and then honed for this specific dish. In fact, to call it something other than chimichurri would be culinary plagiarism because it is so similar. Although it may not be what you are used to, it’s actually quite good. Try it – you may be surprised! ☺